Oblique all-wing vehicle
AssigneeExquadrum, Inc.
InventorKevin E. Mahaffy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An oblique all-wing (OAW) vehicle and methods are described where the OAW vehicle has a unique configuration and can be used to, for example, launch a payload. The OAW vehicle can include an elongated airfoil body with a longitudinal axis, a top surface, a bottom surface, a first longitudinal end, a second longitudinal end, a first longitudinal edge at a first juncture between the top surface and the bottom surface, and a second longitudinal edge at a second juncture between the top surface and the bottom surface. The elongated airfoil body has an airfoil-shaped cross-section, with the first longitudinal edge defining a leading edge and the second longitudinal edge defining a trailing edge. A rocket engine or other propulsion device is mounted to the elongated airfoil body at the first longitudinal end.
Claims3
A method of operating an oblique all-wing vehicle, comprising:
- arranging the oblique all-wing vehicle into a vertical orientation with a longitudinal axis thereof arranged vertically and a rocket engine at a longitudinal end thereof facing vertically downward;
- launching the oblique all-wing vehicle while in the vertical orientation by igniting the rocket engine for an ascent period and thereafter terminating thrust of the rocket engine;
- as the oblique all-wing vehicle descends back toward Earth, orienting the oblique all-wing vehicle so that the rocket engine forms a leading nose of the oblique all-wing vehicle for a descent period;
- after the descent period, reorienting the oblique all-wing vehicle into an oblique orientation as the oblique all-wing vehicle glides to a landing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.