Gas gun launcher
AssigneeQuicklaunch, Inc.
InventorsJohn William Hunter, Harry E. Cartland, Philip James Sluder, Richard Edward Twogood
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gas gun launcher having a pump tube and a launch tube with a first end of the launch tube slidably inserted into a second end of the pump tube. A sliding seal is employed to retain the gas within the launch tube and the pump tube A launch tube alignment system is preferably automatic, again to enhance the accuracy of launches. And an embodiment of the gas gun launcher suitable for use in water such as an ocean or large lake preferably utilizes a neutrally buoyant launch tube and a neutrally buoyant pump tube. And a fast-closing muffler at the second end of the launch tube conserves the light gas utilized for launching a vehicle.
Claims26
A gas gun launcher for launching a vehicle into space, which comprises:
- a launch tube having a first end and a second end;
- a heat exchanger configured to heat a light gas, thereby forming heated light gas;
- a high-speed opening valve in fluid communication with the first end of said launch tube and in fluid communication with the heat exchanger to receive the heated light gas from the heat exchanger;
- and
- a recoil absorber comprising recoil fins located at the first end of said launch tube
- wherein the gas gun launcher has neutral buoyancy in water.
A gas gun launcher for launching a vehicle into space, which comprises:
- a launch tube having a first end and a second end;
- a high-speed opening valve positioned at the first end of the launch tube and configured to control admission of a light gas to the first end of the launch tube as the valve opens so that the light gas is initially below a peak pressure at the vehicle as the vehicle moves from the first end of the launch tube and toward the second end of the launch tube, said valve sealing against a seat;
- and
- a recoil absorber comprising recoil fins located at the first end of said launch tube,
- wherein the gas gun launcher has neutral buoyancy in water.
A gas gun launcher for launching a vehicle into space, which comprises:
- a launch tube having a first end and a second end and a longitudinal axis;
- a high-speed opening valve in fluid communication with the launch tube to admit a light gas to the launch tube;
- and
- a high-speed opening valve brake configured to provide a retaining force against the high-speed opening valve to hold the high-speed opening valve closed against pressure applied to the high-speed opening valve by the light gas;
- and
- a recoil absorber comprising recoil fins located at the first end of said launch tube,
- wherein the gas gun launcher has neutral buoyancy in water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.