System for receiving a descending rocket on a semisubmersible vessel using a suspended cable
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 system for receiving a descending rocket, the system comprising:
- a vessel;
- a cable suspended by the vessel and configured to engage an upper portion of the descending rocket and suspend the rocket therefrom;
- and
- a strap supported by the vessel, wherein the strap is configured to stabilize a lower portion of the suspended rocket and to decrease in length to cause the suspended rocket to rotate toward a horizontal orientation, wherein the cable is configured to increase in length as the strap decreases in length.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.