Rocket including rotatable arm for engaging a cable during descent and method for the same
AssigneeBlue Origin Manufacturing, LLC
InventorsEmmanuel John Grillos, II, Richard Donovan Jones
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for receiving a descending rocket, which may be at sea. The rocket may descend vertically with the nose higher than the nozzle. The rocket body may be angled as it descends. A boom arm with hooks may extend at an angle to the rocket body to engage a cable suspended by a semisubmersible platform at sea. The platform may include a dampened cable and lateral straps for securing and rotating the rocket into a horizontal orientation. The platform may receive a ship and purge water to elevate the platform for placing the horizontal rocket onto the ship.
Claims19
A rocket configured to descend in a terminal flight path having a non-vertical component, the rocket comprising:
- a body extending along a longitudinal axis;
- and
- at least one arm rotatably connected with the body and having at least one hook, the at least one arm configured to rotate in a plane tangential to an outer surface of the body, the at least one hook configured to engage a cable suspended at sea to suspend the rocket from the cable.
A method of receiving a descending rocket, the method comprising:
- descending a rocket along a flight path having a non-vertical component with a nose of the rocket located higher than a nozzle of the rocket;
- rotating an arm of the rocket in a plane tangential to an outer surface of a body of the rocket;
- and
- engaging a hook of the arm with a cable suspended by a semisubmersible platform at sea.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.