Landing pad and in-flight methods of manufacturing a landing pad
AssigneeMasten Space Systems, Inc.
InventorMatthew Kuhns
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Described herein is a method of constructing a landing pad using a rocket engine while in-flight. Among other benefits, this method can reduce ejecta that otherwise would occur during landing on an unimproved surface. While a spacecraft is hovering over an unimproved surface, the spacecraft can inject particles into its rocket engine, after which the particles absorb heat from the engine and are projected at ballistic speeds toward the unimproved surface to create a landing pad. After constructing the landing pad and waiting for the landing pad to cool, the spacecraft can land on the landing pad. Also described herein are landing pads created from such particles as they impact the surface in a disc splat mode into the unimproved surface.
Claims24
1-61. (canceled)
An engine particle injection system onboard a spacecraft for in-flight landing pad construction, the system comprising:
- a rocket engine with a combustion chamber configured to burn propellant to create a plume during engine operation;
- a particle hopper connected to the rocket engine and configured to hold landing pad construction particles;
- and
- a particle injector configured to control the injection of the landing pad construction particles from the particle hopper into the rocket engine.
68-84. (canceled)
A landing pad constructed on regolith, soil or ice of a planet, asteroid or comet, the landing pad comprising:
- a microstructure comprising successive layers of landing pad construction particles bound together,
- wherein each layer of the successive layers is formed by receiving landing pad construction particles that have deformed with a disc splat mode due to their temperature and high speed at impact, and
- the landing pad is bound to the regolith, soil or ice.
91-111. (canceled)
A landing pad, the landing pad comprising:
- a landing pad constructed by deposition of landing pad construction particles injected into the plume of a spacecraft and built up over several layers,
- the landing pad including a thicker or denser region in a plume impingement region of the landing pad configured to resist a hole punched through the landing pad by the plume of the spacecraft.
120-141. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.