Optics and structure for space applications
AssigneeTrans Astronautica Corporation
InventorJoel C. Sercel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A transportation network for providing propellant in space can include optical mining vehicles that concentrate solar energy to spall captured asteroids, capture released volatiles, and store them in reservoirs as propellants. The network can also have orbital transfer vehicles that use solar thermal rocket modules that focus solar energy on heat exchangers to force propellant through nozzles, as well as separable aeromaneuvering tanker modules with reusable heatshields and storage tanks. The network can have propellant depots positioned between Earth and a transport destination. The depots can mechanically couple to accept propellant delivery and to supply it to visiting space vehicles.
Claims27
A method for obtaining, storing, and providing propellant in space, the method comprising:
- surrounding an asteroid with a containment device of an optical mining vehicle (OMV);
- focusing solar energy toward the contained asteroid and spalling a surface thereof using one or more solar concentrators of the OMV;
- capturing material released by the spalling using the containment device;
- storing the captured material in a propellant reservoir of the OMV;
- delivering the captured material from the OMV to a propellant depot using an orbital transfer vehicle (OTV), the propellant depot positioned between earth and a transport destination;
- and
- mechanically coupling to and supplying at least a portion of the propellant to visiting space vehicles by the propellant depot.
An orbital transportation network system, comprising:
- an orbital transport vehicle comprising a water storage tank and a heat exchanger;
- and
- at least one propellant storage depot configured to orbit around a celestial body and store propellant in space for use by multiple orbital transport vehicles by locating the propellant depot in at least one of the following:
- low-earth orbit (LEO) to facilitate payload delivery by launch vehicles,
- geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) to facilitate coordination with satellites, or
- lunar distant retrograde orbit (LDRO) or another stable orbit, minimizing use of propellant to maintain orbit,
- wherein the orbital transport vehicle is configured to use water as a propellant for propelling the orbital transport vehicle and the water storage tank is positioned for fluid communication with the heat exchanger.
A method for transporting a payload from one orbit to another, comprising:
- specifying or identifying a current orbital location of the payload;
- specifying or identifying a destination orbital location for the payload;
- providing an orbital transport vehicle (OTV) configured to:
- attach and separate from payload vehicles,
- adjust to different payload masses and centers of mass, and
- accept fuel at a space-located propellant depot, the OTV comprising a propulsion system configured to deliver large velocity changes;
- locating the OTV at any of low-earth orbit (LEO), geostationary earth orbit (GEO), near-Earth objects (NEOs) in native orbits, lunar distant retrograde orbit (LDRO), or heliocentric orbit;
- mining a volatile compound from at least one asteroid using direct solar thermal power from inflatable reflectors;
- moving the orbital transport vehicle to the current orbital location of the payload using the volatile compound as a propellant;
- and
- transporting the payload to the destination orbit.
A method for delivering propellant to a spacecraft in any of low-earth orbit (LEO), geostationary Earth orbit (GRO), near-earth objects (NEOs) in native orbits, lunar distant retrograde orbit (LDRO), or heliocentric orbit, the method comprising:
- specifying or identifying a current orbital location of the spacecraft;
- locating an orbital transport vehicle at any of LEO, GEO, LDRO, or heliocentric orbit;
- moving the orbital transport vehicle to the current orbital location of the spacecraft;
- delivering propellant to the spacecraft;
- and
- using water as the propellant for propelling the orbital transport vehicle, wherein the orbital transport vehicle includes a water storage tank positioned for fluid communication with a heat exchanger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.