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US 7,441,473 B2Granted
Variable-altitude testing systems
OwnerTaber K. MacCallum, Grant A. Andersoninventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ground-based system for simulating dynamic suborbital-flight environments occurring during substantially complete suborbital-flights by a flight vehicle.
Claims19
A method related to ground-based testing of onboard flight-vehicle systems utilizing simulated suborbital flight environments occurring during at least one essentially complete suborbital flight, within at least one range of mapped pressure-time environments, by at least one flight vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) selecting at least one range of test variables required for a single test setup to test all situations within the variables;
- b) for the selected required test setup, selecting at least one first pressure vessel to assist in simulating onboard flight-vehicle environments and selecting at least one adjoining second pressure vessel, having, with such first at least one pressure vessel, at least one common-boundary test apparatus, to assist in simulating extra-vehicular flight environments;
- c) for at least one second pressure-vessel design, selecting at least one pressure-vessel volume suitable for all the required test variables;
- and
- d) for the at least one selected pressure-vessel volume and such at least one range of test variables, selecting hardware/software combinations, including pressure modulating devices, having suitable technology and cost characteristics and being adapted to assist in control and measurement of such at least one range of test variables;
- e) wherein the steps of this method are used to produce at least one design useful in simulating pressure-time profiles corresponding to such suborbital flight environments during such at least one essentially complete suborbital flight by such at least one flight vehicle.
3 more elements
A system related to ground-based testing of onboard flight-vehicle systems, said system comprising:
- a) suborbital-flight-environment simulator means for simulating dynamic flight environments occurring during at least one substantially complete suborbital flight by at least one flight vehicle;
- b) wherein said suborbital-flight-environment simulator means comprises testing-chamber means for receiving such onboard flight-vehicle systems to be tested;
- c) wherein said testing-chamber means comprises pressure boundary means for boundary containment of testing-chamber pressures within at least one interior portion of said testing-chamber means;
- d) antechamber means for communicating with said pressure boundary means of said testing-chamber means;
- e) pressure modulator means for modulating antechamber pressures within said antechamber means;
- f) pressure-controller means for assisting timeline controlling of such antechamber pressures;
- and
- g) chamber-pressure communicator means for enabling interactive pressure communication between such testing-chamber pressures and such antechamber pressures;
- h) wherein said antechamber means comprises said pressure boundary means;
- and
- i) wherein said antechamber means, said pressure modulator means, and said pressure-controller means are useful in simulating at least one pressure-time profile comparable to such flight environments occurring during such at least one substantially complete suborbital flight by such at least one flight vehicle.
8 more elements
A system related to ground-based testing of onboard flight-vehicle systems, said system comprising:
- a) at least one suborbital-flight-environment simulator structured and arranged to simulate dynamic suborbital flight environments occurring during at least one essentially complete suborbital flight by at least one flight vehicle;
- b) wherein said at least one suborbital-flight-environment simulator comprises at least one testing chamber structured and arranged to receive such onboard flight-vehicle systems to be tested;
- and
- c) wherein said at least one testing chamber comprises at least one pressure boundary structured and arranged to provide boundary containment of testing-chamber pressures within at least one interior portion of said at least one testing chamber;
- d) at least one antechamber structured and arranged to communicate with said at least one pressure boundary of said at least one testing chamber;
- e) at least one pressure modulator structured and arranged to modulate antechamber pressures within said at least one antechamber;
- f) at least one pressure-controller structured and arranged to assist timeline controlling of such antechamber pressures by said at least one pressure modulator;
- and
- g) at least one chamber-pressure communicator structured and arranged to enable interactive pressure communication between such testing-chamber pressures and such antechamber pressures under flow conditions;
- h) wherein said at least one antechamber comprises said at least one pressure boundary;
- and
- i) wherein said at least one antechamber, said at least one pressure modulator, and said at least one pressure-controller are useful in simulating pressure-time profiles corresponding to such suborbital flight environments during such at least one essentially complete suborbital flight by such at least one flight vehicle.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.