Braking shield for a spacecraft, and a satellite fitted therewith
AssigneeCentre National D'Etudes Spatiales
InventorThibery Cussac
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a braking and heat protection shield (1) for a spacecraft (5), said shield being situated at the front of the spacecraft to oppose a flow of gas striking the spacecraft, and including at least one gap (3a, . . . , 3d) shaped to present a through section to the flow that increases with increasing angle of incidence of the spacecraft, to create an aerodynamic force couple tending to return the spacecraft towards a position of lesser incidence.
Claims8
A braking and heat protection shield (1) for a spacecraft (5), the shield being situated at the front of the spacecraft to oppose a flow of gas striking the spacecraft, and being characterized in that it comprises a succession of coaxial walls (2a, . . . , 2e) having axial symmetry about the longitudinal axis (X) of the spacecraft, the dimensions and the organization of said walls being selected so that, in front view and at zero incidence, the shield presents a solid surface and said walls leave between them annular openings (3a, . . . , 3d) of through section offered to the flow that increases with the increasing angle of incidence of the spacecraft, so as to create an aerodynamic force couple tending to return the spacecraft to a position of lesser incidence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.