Spacecraft adapter and dispenser

A spacecraft launch arrangement, comprising:

• a lift vehicle defining an upper end;
• a support structure defining a plurality of leaves intersecting along an axis of elongation, said support structure being affixed to said upper end, said support structure having a cross-sectional shape in which said leaves radiate from said axis of elongation to define a first plurality, which plurality exceeds two, of angular segments;
• a first set of spacecraft, the number of spacecraft in said first set being equal to said first plurality, each of said spacecraft of said first set being located in one of said angular segments and affixed to two adjacent ones of said leaves, to thereby stiffen said support structure;
• and
• at least a further spacecraft located in one of said angular segments of said support structure and located more remote from said lift vehicle that one of said spacecraft of said first set located in the same one of said angular segments, and contiguous therewith, said further spacecraft being affixed to two adjacent ones of said leaves, for being supported during launch by said support structure stiffened by said first set of spacecraft.

A spacecraft launch arrangement for launching a plurality of spacecraft by means of a lift vehicle defining a longitudinal axis substantially coincident with a thrust axis, and also defining an upper end, said arrangement comprising;

• an elongated support structure affixed to said upper end of said lift vehicle, said support structure defining an axis of elongation parallel with said longitudinal axis of said lift vehicle, said support structure being associated with a plurality of attachment planes, each of which attachment planes contains said axis of elongation, said attachment planes dividing a region about said axis of elongation into a predetermined number N of angular regions, each having an angular extent about said axis of elongation equal to 360.degree./N;
• a plurality MN of spacecraft organized into a plurality of M sets, each of said M sets of spacecraft including a plurality N of spacecraft, each of said spacecraft defining first and second lateral support planes, said first and second lateral support planes of each of said spacecraft being mutually disposed at an external angle equal to 360.degree./N, whereby said first and second lateral support planes of each of said spacecraft intersect along a line of intersection, which line of intersection, when any one of said spacecraft is mounted to said support structure of said lift vehicle, lies parallel to said axis of elongation of said support structure, to thereby define upper and lower ends of said spacecraft and to also define a spacecraft length between said upper and lower ends, whereby, when said N spacecraft of one of said sets of spacecraft are mounted to said support structure of said lift vehicle, each of said spacecraft lies within one of said angular regions about said axis of elongation, with said first and second lateral support planes of said spacecraft lying contiguous with and parallel with corresponding ones of said attachment planes associated with said support structure;
• first attachment means attached to each of said spacecraft, said first attachment means including attachment devices located in said first and second lateral support planes and near said upper and lower ends of said spacecraft;
• second attachment means attached to said support structure, said second attachment means including mating attachment devices releasably mating with said attachment devices of said first attachment means, said mating attachment devices of said second attachment means being located in said attachment planes associated with said support structure at locations which, when any one of said spacecraft is mounted to said support structure of said lift vehicle at its predetermined location and with said first and second lateral support planes of said one of said spacecraft lying contiguous with and parallel with said corresponding ones of said attachment planes associated with said support structure, correspond to the locations of said attachment devices of said first attachment means, for releasably supporting said spacecraft against at least shear force components acting parallel to a plane in which one of said attachment means is located;
• one of said spacecraft of each of said sets of spacecraft lying in each of said angular regions, with said lower end of at least one of said spacecraft of one of said sets of spacecraft lying adjacent to said upper end of one of said spacecraft of another one of said sets of spacecraft, whereby said spacecraft in each of said angular regions are stacked end-to-end, and the sum of said lengths of those of said spacecraft which lie in any one of said angular regions is substantially equal to the sum of said lengths of those of said spacecraft which lie in another one of said angular regions.