EP1175332A2

EP1175332A2 - Airship/spacecraft

Info

Publication number: EP1175332A2
Application number: EP00953628A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Anthony I. Provitola
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-04-28
Filing date: 2000-04-11
Publication date: 2002-01-30
Also published as: WO2000066425A3; CA2370423A1; AU6604500A; EP1175332A4; WO2000066425A2; NZ514076A

Abstract

An airship/spacecraft, which, in a preferred embodiment, uses its lifting gas (64) as fuel for thrusters, which may be of the turbo-type or rocket type, or both, to achieve transition to space flight. The airship aspect has gas retaining structures (61) that can withstand internal and external pressure and can change in volume and shape. The gas retaining structures (61) may be compartmentalized with a folded diaphragm membrane (63) and also configured as pressure vessels. The spacecraft aspect provides control, power, services, and space for missions of the airship/spacecraft. The best mode includes a turbo-rocket thruster in which the turbine compressor is used to intake and compress a gaseous fuel for combustion with a stored oxidizer injected into the compressed gaseous fuel stream. The compressor stage (6) is driven by the turbine stage (7), which is driven by burning gaseous fuel passing across the turbine blades (13). The burned gases are then expanded through an exhaust nozzle and thereby ejected to produce reaction thrust.

Description

1 AIRSHIP/SPACECRAFT

Technical Field

The present invention is a combination airship and spacecraft that uses its lifting gas as fuel for thrusters to achieve space flight The airship aspect operates to provide lift with lifting gas in one or more gas retaining structures that may change in volume The spacecraft aspect provides control, power, services and interior space for missions of the airship/spacecraft An airship/spacecraft may be connected in arrays with others of its kind to form larger space structures and spacecraft

A reaction thrusting power plant which mav use lifting gas as fuel is included in the present invention Such thrusters are capable of accelerating the airship/ spacecraft to sub-orbital and orbital speeds and altitudes, and may be used on any aircraft ¹0 or spacecraft having a large reservoir of gaseous fuel combustible by oxidation or in some other exothermic reaction The preferred gaseous fuel for the thruster is a gaseous fuel that contains hydrogen gas

The reservoir containing such gaseous fuel may be a gas retaining structure of an airship, such as a gas bag, wherein the gaseous fuel also serves as a lifting gas Such reservoirs may also be pressure vessels which will efficiently hold internal and external overpressures, such pressure vessels also being included in the present invention The separation of a gas retaining

15 structure into separate gas tight compartments with the use of a flexible folding diaphragm membrane is also included m the invention

The invention also includes a method for the attainment of orbit by the airship/spacecraft with the use of the inventions disclosed herein as optional components of the airship/spacecraft

The present invention has elements that are covered generally by class 244, aeronautics, and may be considered under 20 the following subclasses 3, compound aeronautical machines, 12 2, circular, 12 3, dual propulsion, 12 4, thrust tilting, 24 miscellaneous aircraft, 29, propelled aeronautical machines, 61. aircraft power plants adapted to use the sustaining gas of an airship as fuel, 97, devices for changing buoyancy of hghter-than-air craft, 125, construction of hull and internal structure of hghter-than- air craft, 114, ships, particularly subclass 342, 126, construction of outer surface of hghter-than-air craft, 158, machine or structure designed for travel in the upper reaches of and/or beyond the atmosphere of a celestial body, and, 60, power plants, particularly ^■" subclass 246 Although folding diaphragms and folding membranes exist in pπor art, such as in United States Patent Nos 4,056,697 and 3,979,295, a special class/subclass for the diaphragm membrane disclosed herein could not be found

Background Art

There is presently a quest for a means to achiev e economical heavy lifting into space Construction of the limited space- -^>" station using multiple rocket launches, with assembly by crews manning the U S Space Shuttle orbiter, has proven to be expensive and uncertain by reason of the cost and risk Current space technology, most notably in the United States of America, continues to rely upon conventional rocket configurations to achιe\ e a substantial presence in space The pπncipal prospect of departure from such reliance exists in the space-plane project currently in the phase All such technologies require structures and materials that will withstand high g-forces and temperatures, because all such technologies involve high speed operation with significant atmospheric friction and rapid acceleration and deceleration

Recent entπes in the field are known from United States Patent Nos 5,730,390 and 5,842,665 in which pπor art in space launch technology alternate to conventional rocket powered orbital insertion is discussed Both of these inventions are for single stage, thruster-dπven-rotor, rotor-driven, vertical-take-off spacecraft, and therefore rely upon aerodynamic effects to achieve altitude. The first of these, titled "Reusable Spacecraft ', also relies upon the shape of the spacecraft to act as an aerodynamic lifting

40 body to gam altitude under power That patent claims "a disk-shaped casing configured to generate buoyancy in hoπzontal travel through a gas atmosphere" Although the term ' buoyancy is used there, it is clear that the concept of aerodynamic lift was intended, because only aerodynamic lift is generated as a result of ' horizontal travel through a gas atmosphere" Moreover, the patent does not include as an element of the invention the use of a lifting gas to create "buoyancy", as in the operation of a ghter- than-air-craft "Buoyancy' as used in the present application means the effect of an object rising in a fluid as a result of the relative

45 lightness of the object with respect to the w eight of the \ olume of the fluid the object displaces Both of the above-referenced inventions require the consumption of fuel to take-off and climb through the atmosphere, with power supplied by thrusters which burn such fuel Neither of these inventions involve the use of a hghter-than-air system for lifting the spacecraft through the atmosphere, or involve the use of lifting gas as fuel for thrusters or other power generation

That rockets have been carried aloft by balloons and launched from altitude is well known the balloon was an expendable flexible gas envelope that was discarded upon launch without a framework structure and without any role in the enhancement of the lifting capacity of the lifting gas except to expand as the pressure of the ambient atmosphere decreased with altitude The present invention is clearly distinct from such a system The present invention is an airship and a spacecraft The present invention may include dynamic gas retaining structures w ith expandable frameworks which are used to maximize the altitude to which the lifting gas will be effective to lift the airship Such gas retaining structures may also be components of a pressure vessel which will efficiently hold internal and external o\ erpressures Such a pressure vessel would function by reducing the pressure strain on any one gas retaining structure in a group of nested gas retaining structures, I e a seπes of gas retaining structures each of which encloses gas retaining structures of lesser \ olume, to a fractional value of the overall pressure differential existing between the interior of the innermost gas retaining structure and the exterior of the outermost gas retaining structure A similar pressure vessel is disclosed in United States Patent No 4,228,759 However, the "pressure-sustaining vessel" disclosed in that patent is limited to construction with "concentπcally nested shells" and by the inclusion of other limiting elements

The lifting capacity of the airship/spacecratt may be controlled by the partitioning of one or more of the gas retaining structures with a flexible gas impermeable membrane within each gas retaining structure Such a membrane would separate a gas retaining structure into gas tight compartments that may each ha\ e the same potential volume as the volume of the gas retaining structure A membrane within a gas retaining structure functions as a pump by which gas introduced into the gas retaining structure on one side of the membrane causes the gas on the opposite side of the membrane to exhaust from a port in the gas retaining structure Such a flexible membrane may be a folded diaphragm The separation of a gas retaining structure into separate gas tight compartments with the use of a flexible folding diaphragm membrane is also included in the invention For ascent of the airship/spacecraft the partitioning of the gas retaining structure is utilized to gradually introduce lifting gas into one or more of the gas retaining structures while exhausting the atmospheπc or other gases to be displaced by the lifting gas, thereby controlling the lifting capacity of the airship/spacecraft Although the partitioning of gas tight envelopes is known from United States Patent No 4,032,085, Dingible, Especially Non-Rigid Dirigible, in which the gas containing partitions are "adapted to receive pressure without any substantial deformation", United States Patent No 4,773,617, Lighter-Than-Air Craft, in which "gas tight bulkheads" that "divide" a "gas tight pocket into a plurality of separate longitudinal compartments", and United States Patent No 5,005,783, Variable Geometry Airship, with "a flexible gas envelope which n fixed" to an airship frame, the shape of such envelope being changeable with "adjusting lines", there does not appear to be any pπor art concerning the division of a gas retaining structure by a flexible membrane which can separate the gas retaining structure into two compartments that may each have the same potential volume as the volume of the entire gas retaining structure to be thus divided Also, there does not appear to be any pπor art concerning the use of the flexible folded diaphragm membrane component for such compartmentahzation of gas retaining structures, or concerning the component itself

The present invention uses the lifting gas as fuel for thrusters which then power on the flight of the entire airship/spacecraft The present invention provides a single-stage launch vehicle which can use the airship structures as components of space-frames and larger spacecraft

The types of propulsion systems which create a propulsion force known as thrust to propel vehicles at high altitudes are the rocket motor and the jet engine The propulsion force is the reaction force arising from increasing the backward momentum of a mass by the action of the propulsion system In the case of the rocket motor, the rearward ejected mass comes from the propellant chemicals carried with the vehicle, and the backward momentum from the reaction between those propellant chemicals in the case of the jet engine, addition of heat energy to a controlled flow of air passing through the jet engine increases the backward momentum of the airflow

Some of the features of the present inv ention disclosed here as the ' turbo-rocket thruster" relate to features of both jet engines and rocket motors The use of the hyphenated descπption turbo ' in the present invention relates to the inclusion in the present invention of a turbine compressor dπven by a gas turbine, as in a jet engine The noun "rocket" relates to the fact that the present invention involves the rearward ejection of mass which mav come from the chemical reaction of propellant chemicals which are earned with the vehicle, in this case a reservoir of fuel in a gaseous state and a reservoir of oxidizer Unlike conventional jet engines which compress intaken air, the turbine compressor of the turbo-rocket thruster is used to compress intaken gaseous fuel, which may not otherwise have sufficient density for efficient combustion, to a state of greater density Also, unlike conventional jet engines, the combustion of the gaseous fuel compressed by the turbine compressors takes place with a stored oxidizer which is injected into the compressed gaseous fuel stream

The use of gaseous hydrogen as fuel for power plants which compress air with turbine compressors is known from United States Patent No 5,012,640, The Combined Air-Hydrogen Turbo-Rocket Power Plant The power plant disclosed in that patent, however, uses evaporating liquid hydrogen to dπve a turbine which powers a turbine compressor to compress air into which gaseous hydrogen is injected for combustion, and does not use the turbine compressor to compress the hydrogen Also, that power plant does not use stored oxidizer to burn the hydrogen, but uses the air hich has been compressed for such combustion

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention is an airship/spacecraft that uses its lifting gas as fuel for thrusters to achieve transition from airship operation to space flight Such thrusters may be of the turbo-tvpe, which intake and may compress gaseous oxidizer and/or gaseous fuel, of the rocket type, which use stored oxidizer, and or hybπds of those types At least one of the thrusters must be capable of functioning without an atmospheric oxidizer, as in the case of a rocket thruster Other thrusters may be employed to operate where an atmospheric oxidizer is available, as in the case of an atmospheπc turbojet engine Propeller thrusters may also be used for low altitude stabilization and maneuver

The lifting component of the airship is compπsed of one or more gas retaining structures, which may be flexible, as in the case of balloons and blimps, semirigid, as in the case of a gas retaining structure that is partially or completely supported by a framework, or rigid, as in the case of dirigibles, in which a framework supports a hull, which itself may be a gas retaining structure, to contain other gas retaining structures, such as flexible gas bags A gas retaining structure may also be a combination of the types described above Each gas retaining structure compπses one or more conduits for transporting gases into and out of the gas retaining structure

The airship in the present invention may also have a gas retaining structure with an integrated framework to restπct expansion and contraction or allow for flexion, expansion and contraction of the structure An example of such a structure is shown in the diagrammatic view of the airship/spacecraft shown in FIG 1 in which the the framework of the gas retaining structure is constructed of toroidal elements Such a framework may also be employed in a hull structure that contains gas bags, or be integrated with gas bags Such a framework may also be dynamic, to effect controlled changes of size and shape of the framework and redistribution of framework stress

A gas retaining structure may also be compπsed of a plurality of other gas retaining structures of one or more of the types described above , hereinafter referred to as a "compound gas retaining structure" Such a compound gas retaining structure is shown in FIGS 5 and 6, but contained within a larger structure, w hich can also be a gas retaining structure The component gas retaining structures of compound gas retaining structures may contain gases different from one another in chemical composition which are under pressures different from one another, from the en\ ironment within a larger containing structure, which may also be a gas retaining structure, and/or from the external environment Another kind of compound gas retaining structure is one in which gas retaining structures of various sizes are arranged as nested shells, as shown in FIGS 7 and 8, in which a plurality of gas retaining structures are constructed so that a gas retaining structure contains another gas retaining structure, and where the containing gas retaining structure itself is contained within another gas retaining structure, and so on As with others of the compound type different shells of the nested structure may contain different gases The pressure vessel is designed to sustain a pressure differential between its interior and its surroundings, by forming a hull from a multiplicity of such nested shells, including an innermost shell and several outer shells separated by intervening fluid filled clearances, with a means for transporting fluid into and out of each of the nested shells The pressure vessel may also have a means for adjusting and maintaining the individual pressure in each fluid filled clearance at a fractional value of the overall pressure differential between the inteπor of the innermost shell and the outside, the sum of the individual pressures in said clearances equaling said overall pressure differential Such a pressure vessel will efficiently hold internal and external overpressures, and would function by reducing the pressure strain on any one gas retaining structure in a group of nested gas retaining structures to a fractional value of the overall pressure differential existing between the inteπor of the innermost gas retaining structure and the exterior of the outermost gas retaining structure

When a compound gas retaining structure functions as such a pressure vessel, the structural demand on each component gas retaining structure is reduced by maintaining the differential in the pressure held between successively contained structures The pressure contained or withstood by each of the component structures would be reduced to the pressure differential between the immediately successive component structures, thus permitting lighter construction of the component structures A compound gas retaining structure also allows for control of the center of mass of the entire structure by alteπng the density of the gases contained in the component structures, either by pressure or composition For example, the system shown in FIGS 7 and 8 would always maintain an upπght oπentation in an atmosphere if the densitv of the gas within the successively smaller nested structures _were ι_ess than the next larger one The same would also apply to the system shown in FIGS 5 and 6 if the density of the gas in the component gas retaining structures is controlled so that the center of mass of the system is below its spatial center

The preferred embodiment places the thrusters on a structure which may include controls, machinery, tanks for fuel and/or oxidizer, and inteπor space for crew, passengers, cargo, or equipment, or all of them, which shall be hereinafter referred to as the spacecraft body The spacecraft body may be separate from but connected to the gas retaining structure as shown in FIG 1 An example of a spacecraft body, which is shown diagrammatically m FIGS 1 and 2, has thrusters which are shown as spheπcal structures partially imbedded in the structure of the spacecraft bodv Although the preferred embodiment separates the functions of the spacecraft body from the gas retaining structure, one or more functions of the spacecraft body can be integrated with a gas retaining structure Indeed, the spacecraft body structure may even be a compartment of a gas retaining structure, as shown in FIGS 9-11 The spacecraft body may include a fuel and oxidizer supply for thrusters, and may itself be a heavier-than-air lifting body, as shown in FIG 2, detachable from the airship component and capable of gliding or powered flight Control surfaces for aerodynamically controlling the spacecraft body in aerodynamic flight can be included for such operation

One object of the invention is to provide an airship which has sufficient buoyancy to rise vertically to and beyond an altitude of neutral buoyancy in the region of the stratosphere/ionosphere and higher If the region of the atmosphere at which the vehicle reaches neutral buoyancy has sufficient atmospheπc oxidizer for the combustion of fuel in an atmospheπc oxidizer compressing thruster, thrust from one or more such thrusters may be used to further the ascent of the airship Where the atmospheπc oxidizer compressing thrusters can not function because sufficient atmosphere cannot be compressed to provide atmospheπc oxidizer for the combustion of fuel, thrusters which utilize stored oxidizer for oxidation of the fuel are used to further the ascent of the airship During the application of thrust the flight path of the airship/spacecraft may be controlled by directing the thrust

Up to the point of the application of thrust, and by reason of operation in an atmosphere of sufficient density to provide buoyancy, the airship/spacecraft is operated as an airship However, when the effect of buoyancy is insignificant, the airship/spacecraft must be operated purely as a thruster powered spacecraft The point of transition from operation as an airship depends in part on the altitude at which the airship reaches neutral buoyancy, which is the altitude at which the density of the lifting gas will no longer provide a buoyant force to contribute to the ascent of the airship The altitude of neutral buoyancy may be controlled by the regulation of the density of the gas in gas retaining structures, either by venting to the atmosphere, rarefaction by pumping gas out, or by increasing the volume of gas retaining structures, as shown in the structural expansion from FIG 12 to FIG 15, or a combination of thereof The preferred method of increasing the altitude at which neutral buoyancy occurs is by increasing the volume of gas retaining structures

The gas retaining structure contemplated has the ability to withstand sustained internal and external overpressures The preferred gas retaining structure is one constructed using one or both of the structural systems which are the subjects of United States Patent Application Nos 09/276665 and 09/276666 Such gas retaining structures can also be constructed to have the capability of changing volume and shape while maintaining structural strength Moreover, gas retaining structures so constructed have sufficient strength and size to include as components in the framework of permanent space platforms, space habitats, and spacecraft for space voyages Thus, the gas retaining structure may also be used as the framework for centπfugal artificial gravity which can be generated by rotating circular arrays thereof, as shown in FIGS 16- 19

The lifting capacity of the airship/spacecraft may also be controlled by the gradual introduction of lifting gas into the gas retaining structures while exhausting ballast gases, which may be atmospheπc gases, preferably nitrogen This may be accomplished without the mixing of the lifting gases with the ballast gases by partitioning one or more of the gas retaining structures with a flexible gas impermeable membrane within each Such a membrane would separate the lifting gases being introduced into a gas retaining structure from the ballast gases being extracted by separating the gas retaining structure into two compartments that may each have the same potential volume as the \ olume of the gas retaining structure Such a membrane should be roughly of the same shape as one of the halves of the gas retaining structure compartmentalized, and attached within the gas retaining structure so that separate gas tight compartments may be formed by the walls of the gas retaining structure and the membrane Such a membrane should be attached within the gas retaining structure so that it can be expanded to the shape of either half of the gas retaining structure The membrane within the gas retaining structure also functions as a pump by which a first gas introduced into the gas retaining structure on one side of the membrane, the first side, with a greater pressure than a second gas on the opposite side of the membrane, the second side, will cause the second gas on the second side of the membrane to exhaust from a port in the gas retaining structure on the second side of the membrane For ascent of the airship/spacecraft the partitioning of the gas retaining structure is utilized to gradually introduce lifting gas into one or more of the gas retaining structures while exhausting the ballast or other gases to be displaced by the lifting gas, thereby controlling the lifting capacity of the airship/spacecraft This process is illustrated in the frames shown schematically in FIGS 4a through 4ι in which the hatched area 64 represents the compartment of the gas retaining structure 61 filled with lifting gases, and the blank area 62 the compartment of the gas retaining structure 61 filled with ballast gases The compartments are separated by the membrane 63 within the gas retaining structure 61 FIG 4a shows the gas retaining structure 61 completely filled with ballast gases 62, with the membrane 63 laying against the bottom of the gas retaining structure 61 FIG 4ι shows the gas retaining structure 61 completely filled with lifting gases 64, and the membrane 63 pressed against the top of the gas retaining structure 61 The remaining intermediate FIGS 4b through 4h sequentially show the gas retaining structure 61 being increasingly occupied by the lifting gases 64 as the lower compartment 64 of the gas retaining structure 61 is filled with lifting gases 64 and the lessening volume of the gas retaining structure 61 being occupied by the ballast gases 62 as they are pumped out of the upper compartment 62 of the gas retaining structure by the lifting gases 64 as they force the membrane 63 upward Initially the lifting gases should be stored as liquid gases in tanks, which may be then evaporated and expanded in to a gaseous state for introduction into a gas retaining structure

The flexible membrane by which a gas retaining structure is separated into two gas-tight compartments may be a sheet matenal thin enough to conform roughly to the shape of the bottom half and likewise the top half of the gas retaining structure while maintaining its structural integrity and separation of the lifting gases from the ballast gases The material would roughly form a flexible container which would approximate a part of a bag that would have roughly the same shape as the bottom half and likewise the top half of the gas retaining structure If the gas retaining structure is sufficiently symmetrical the membrane may be a folded diaphragm, as shown in FIGS 3a and 3b as 66, and which may be expanded by pressure above or below to conform roughly to the shape of the top or bottom of a gas retaining structure as shown in FIGS 3a as 65, the folds being shown as 66 therein and in FIG 3b A requirement for the material of the folded diaphragm membrane is that the material of the membrane itself be flexible enough so as to allow the expansion to approximate an inteπor half of the gas retaining structure The fold creases in the membrane may be reinforced with a spring wire, which may be metal, polymer or other suitable material The folds may also be permanently formed with the membrane by other methods, such as molding or casting Although the example shown in FIGS 3a and 3b has twenty (20) panels and nineteen ( 19) folds, larger and small numbers of panels are possible The larger number of folds and panels, the flatter the folded diaphragm membrane will be relative to the shape it has when expanded

Ballast exhaust may also be used to provide thrust for the airship/spacecraft while moving through the atmosphere Ballast exhaust may be transported through conduits from gas retaining structures with buoyancy lifting capacity control systems to a ballast exhaust gas thruster, which has one or more directional thruster nozzles for ballast exhaust gases to direct the thrust of the exhaust. Such a ballast exhaust thruster may assist the lift and steering of the airship/spacecraft.

The preferred lifting gas for the airship phase is diatomic hydrogen, which provides the greatest lift and is a commonly used rocket fuel. The lifting force of diatomic hydrogen in air at sea level, both being at standard temperature and pressure, is approximately 65 pounds per 1 ,000 cubic feet of hydrogen.

Depending on the lifting gases used and the rapidity of the introduction of such lifting gases into the gas retaining structures, a fully loaded airship/spacecraft may reach a vertical velocity of 300 meters/second by the time it reaches neutral buoyancy without the necessity to consume any fuel for thrusting. With the advantage of the momentum provided by the acceleration due to buoyancy, the continued ascent of the airship into space as a spacecraft is then a result of the application of thruster power. With hydrogen as a lifting gas, hydrogen may be used as fuel at any time during the airship phase of the ascent. Secondary to being the lifting gas, hydrogen gas can fuel the thrusters in the transition from airship to spacecraft, and then fuel the spacecraft phase. As hydrogen is consumed by thrusters in the transition from airship to spacecraft, several effects occur which act to assist in the extension of the ascent of the airship: firstly, when hydrogen is pumped out to fuel the thrusters, with the volume of the involved gas retaining structure maintained, the density of the hydrogen in the gas retaining structure is reduced, resulting in the buoyant prolongation of the ascent; secondly, the total mass of the airship is reduced by the consumption of hydrogen consumed by the thrusters from the gas retaining structure, resulting in a lesser and decreasing gravitational force on the airship, and thus a greater and increasing acceleration of the airship for a given strength of thrust; and, thirdly, when an atmospheric oxidizer is not available in sufficient quantity, consumption of stored oxidizer by the thrusters also reduces the overall mass of the airship and thus the effect of the weight of countering buoyancy. Together these effects contribute to the extension of the ascent of the airship.

The thruster which intakes gaseous fuel may be described as a "turbo-rocket thruster", and shall hereinafter be referred to as such. A turbo-rocket thruster is a reaction thrusting power plant which uses a gaseous fuel and is capable of accelerating a spacecraft to sub-orbital and orbital speeds and altitudes. The turbo-rocket thruster may be used on aircraft and spacecraft having a large reservoir of gaseous fuel combustible by oxidation, and in particular as an integral component of the present invention. The turbo-rocket thruster can compress the gaseous fuel for efficient combustion with an injected oxidizer to produce reaction thrust. In the case of an airship which uses lifting gas that includes gaseous hydrogen, such a lifting gas may serve as the gaseous fuel for the turbo-rocket thruster. The turbo-rocket thruster is particularly suited to operate with hydrogen lifting gas, which may have been rarefied by an increase in volume of the structure in which hydrogen lifting gas is contained, by compressing the hydrogen lifting gas with a turbine compressor.

Although the turbo-rocket thruster has been disclosed as operating by oxidizing a gaseous fuel, it may also operate with other combinations of propellant chemicals which react exothermally or are otherwise productive in the release of energy in some form. Reference herein to a propellant chemical also means a compatible mixture of propellant chemicals. In the latter case of operation of the turbo-thruster, a first propellant chemical is gaseous and intaken for compression as such, and the second propellant chemical is either liquid or gaseous and injected into the compressed first propellant chemical.

The embodiment of the turbo-rocket thruster illustrated in FIG. 20 includes a duct casing 1 which defines a gas duct 2, which in turn defines a gas intake 3, a combustion chamber 4. and an exhaust nozzle 5, and surrounds an axial compressor stage 6, a combustion chamber stage, and an axial turbine stage 7. The axial compressor stage 6 has at least one compressor rotor 8 having a plurality of compressor blades 9 extending radially therefrom. The compressor rotor 8 of the axial compressor 8 and 9 is located downstream of first stator guide vane 10 which supports a first hub 1 1 coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the gas duct 2 to rotatably support the compressor rotor 8. The axial compressor 8 and 9 is driven via a shaft 19 by the axial turbine stage 7, which includes at least one turbine rotor 12 with a plurality of turbine blades 13 extending radially therefrom. The axial turbine 12 and 13 is driven by the burning gaseous fuel passing across the turbine blades 13. The turbine rotor 12 of the axial turbine 12 and 13 is located downstream of a second stator guide vane 14, which supports the oxidizer injectors 15 and in which the oxidizer injectors 15 are located. The second stator guide vane 14 supports a second hub 16 coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the gas duct 2 to also rotatably support the compressor rotor 8 with the first hub 1 1. The turbine rotor 12 of the axial turbine 12 and 13 is located upstream of a third stator guide vane 17, which supports a third hub 18 coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the gas duct 2 to also rotatably support, together with the second hub 16, the turbine rotor 12.

The operation of the turbo-rocket thruster commences with the intaking 2 of gaseous fuel 20 drawn from one or more reservoirs, or from the upper atmosphere, by the axial compressor 8 and 9. With compression by the axial compressor 8 and 9 the gaseous fuel is sent to a combustion chamber 4 to be mixed with an injected 15 oxidizer for ignition and burning. The energetic products of the combustion of the gaseous fuel then flow through and power the axial turbine 12 and 13, which is connected to and powers the axial compressor 8 and 9 via a shaft 19 and/or transmission. The energetic exhaust gases 21 then exit from the exhaust nozzle 5 to the space outside the gas duct 30 to provide reaction thrust. Gaseous fuel is supplied to the turbine compressor 8 and 9 from a gas reservoir by at least one gaseous fuel pipe 22. The process of supplying gaseous fuel to the turbo-rocket thruster may be assisted by electromagnetically accelerating the gaseous fuel to the intake, pumping, including ultrasonic pumping, pre-compression, and contraction of the gaseous fuel reservoir.

The circuit for supplying oxidizer to the supply tube 23 starts at an oxidizer reservoir 24 storing oxidizer having an outlet connected to pump 25 which may pump the oxidizer from the reservoir 24 into supply tube 23. An oxidizer such as liquid oxygen may be first pumped 25 through a heat exchanger 26 included in the third stator guide vane 17 in the exhaust nozzle 5 so as to absorb the heat of the exhaust gases passing through the exhaust nozzle 5 and cool the third stator guide vane 17. The temperature of the liquid oxygen passing through the heat exchanger 26 is raised and the liquid oxygen vaporized so that gaseous oxygen passes through a supply tube 23 connected to the outlet of the heat exchanger 26. Liquid oxygen may also be made to pass through another heat exchanger consisting of tubes around and through the casing 1 of the exhaust nozzle 5 and the third hub 18 so as to absorb heat from the exhaust gases 21 and thereby initially raise its temperature and cool the exhaust nozzle 5 and the third hub 18.

Under certain operating conditions, or for certain oxidizers useable without vaporization prior to injection into the combustion chamber, the heat exchanger 26 may be bypassed by allowing the oxidizer to flow through bypass tube 27 and subsequently into supply tube 23 by the use of the three-way, three-port valves 28 and 29.

The process of supplying hydrogen, or other lifting gas that may be used as fuel, to such a thruster may be assisted by electromagnetically accelerating the gas to the intake, pumping, including ultrasonic pumping, and pre-compression. Contracting the gas retaining structures is another means for assisting the extraction of gas from gas retaining structures for supplying fuel to the thrusters, such as the transition shown between FIGS. 12 and 14. Such supply of fuel gas from a gas retaining structure may be direct by intake from a gas retaining structure, with or without baffles, or by pipes, ducts, or other gas conduits, or one or more of same used in combination. Another type of thruster can operate where the hydrogen is rarefied in the gas retaining structures, but with an atmospheric oxidizer, an example of which is shown in FIG.21 , in which a thruster as shown in FIG.20 is combined with a thruster that intakes a gaseous oxidizer to form a dual thruster. The general configuration is similar to dual turbojets, but with a common combustion chamber. Such a thruster intakes 31 and compresses 32 fuel gas 39 drawn from gas retaining structures with a first compressor 32, and sends it to a combustion chamber 34 where it is mixed with a gaseous oxidizer 40, which may be drawn from the atmosphere 41 and compressed 42 by a second compressor 42, for ignition and burning in the common combustion chamber 34, 44. The energetic products of combustion then flow through and power two turbines 36, 46, each of which are connected to and power the compressors 32, 42 via their respective shafts 35, 45 and/or transmissions. The energetic exhaust gases 38, 48 then exit from the exhaust area 37, 47 to the space outside the airship/spacecraft system to provide reaction thrust.

Two configurations of such a dual thruster are possible: one of which is to provide injected oxidizer only to the hydrogen- intake side of the dual system with a means for mechanical division of the combustion chamber to isolate it from the oxidizer- intake side, which may be used with injected fuel; the other is to provide injected oxidizer to both sides of the dual system shown in FIG. 21, with both sides intaking fuel gas. The operation of each component thruster of such a dual thruster could also be isolated from the other by one or more mechanical doors separating the gas flows in each in the region where the combustion chambers may be joined. Conventional surface rocket launched and powered spacecraft are designed to make the thrust of the rocket engines as large as possible by ejecting mass as rapidly as possible and with the highest possible relative speed A rapid consumption of fuel and oxidizer also reduces the mass of the rocket that is being accelerated, and thus the acceleration of the rocket is thus enhanced In the launching of spacecraft from the surface of the earth rapid consumption of fuel is considered to be an advantage, provided that the spacecraft and its contents can survive and endure the extreme acceleration

In the case of the present invention g-forces m the buoyant ascent through the atmosphere to space flight would be significantly moderated by the lack of the necessity for the rapid bum-off of weighty fuel duπng that phase of operation, inasmuch as activation of the thrusters is not necessary until after the airship has reached neutral buoyancy The airship may have significant upward momentum at the point of neutral buoyancy, the airship having accelerated upward duπng buoyant ascent in overcoming gravitational force The regulation of such acceleration of the airship/spacecraft during buoyant ascent by the regulation of the buoyancy is inherent in the airship aspect of the present invention The reduction of the level of g-forces is also possible for the descent from space flight and can be accomplished with controlled deceleration by retrofiπng of thrusters, rather than by uncontrolled atmospheric braking, so that the speed of the spacecraft is slowed to the extent that airship buoyancy will provide the braking for descent Neutral buoyancy will occur at a higher altitude as a result of the lower density of the gases in one or more gas retaining structures The gas retaining structures may contain hydrogen that was collected in space or unconsumed in the ascending flight, and thus available to fuel thrusters for further retrofiπng The gas retaining structures may also have hydrogen and atmospheπc gases in separate compartments of one or more of gas retaining structures The rest of the descent is then accomplished as an airship using the atmosphere as ballast by gradually increasing the density of gas within one or more gas retention structures

The method by which an airship/spacecraft may attain orbit after being launched from a the surface of a planet such as the earth commences with the launch of the airship/spacecraft with detachment from its mooring, jettisoning solid or liquid ballasts, thus permitting ascent of the airship/spacecraft as a hghter-than-air airship Duπng the ascent the buoyant force is regulated by the gradual introduction of lifting gases into the gas retaining structures of the airship/spacecraft and the concurrent exhaustion of ballast gases to the atmosphere The initial ballast gases would best be gases that could not react with the lifting gases under normal conditions, such as nitrogen if the lifting gas was hydrogen Nitrogen could also serve as a lifting gas, especially if was heated and/or maintained at a lower density in the gas retaining structures than that of the density of the atmosphere outside of the airship/spacecraft The introduction of the lifting gas into the gas retaining structure should proceed as rapidly as necessary to maintain the upward acceleration required to reasonably maximize the momentum of the airship/spacecraft at neutral buoyancy, to maximize the altitude at which neutral buoyancy occurs, and to minimize the acceleration experienced by the airship/spacecraft, its load, and its occupants As the lifting gases are introduced into the gas retaining structures the tanks in which they were stored as liquid or otherwise should be jettisoned to reduce the mass of the airship/spacecraft At the point of maximum vertical velocity due to buoyancy acceleration, the thrusters of the airship/spacecraft should be activated In the preferred embodiment of this method the activation of the thrusters should occur when the mass of the airship/spacecraft was at a minimum in its buoyant ascent, that is when all of the ballast gases had been exhausted and the tanks that had been emptied of liquid lifting gas had been jettisoned At such a point the airship/spacecraft may reach a vertical velocity as great as 300 meters/second without having consumed any fuel for thrusting With such advantage of the momentum provided by the acceleration due to buoyancy, the continued ascent of the airship into space as a spacecraft is then a result of its operation under thruster power In the preferred embodiment of the method, such thruster power is fueled by the lifting gas which is diatomic hydrogen, and is produced by fuel breathing turbo-rocket thrusters

At the time of launch the airship/spacecraft has a horizontal velocity which is the same as the tangential velocity of the surface of the rotating plane at the latitude of launch Such motion is largely the same as the atmosphere as it rotates with the planet Such horizontal velocity should not be augmented or countered by acceleration from thrusting at an altitude below fifty miles to minimize atmospheric drag and less productive expenditure of fuel Above about 50 miles the climb angle of the airship/spacecraft should be adjusted by redirecting the thrusters on the spacecraft body to increase the hoπzontal component of acceleration to bring the airship/spacecraft to the appropπate tangential velocity for injection into the orbit desired Such an increase m tangential velocity also results in an increase in the centrifugal lifting force The continued lifting with thrusters to the orbital altitude desired, augmented by buoyancy and centπfugal acceleration, is gradually decreased with the increase in the tangential velocity to the point where, at orbital injection, there should be a very small component of velocity that is vertical relative to the hoπzontal velocity of the airship/spacecraft The completion of the method is the adjustment of the tangential velocity for orbital injection at the chosen altitude A method for sub-orbital travel from one location on the surface of a planet such as earth to another location on the surface of the planet may be derived as a variation of the method of attaining orbit The tangential deceleration and descent required may commence with retrofiπng of the thrusters and the effect of increasing buoyancy at a point where approximately half of the ground distance to the destination point on earth has been traveled by the airship/spacecraft.

A method for travel from an orbit about a planet such as the earth to the surface of the planet may be initiated with the retrofiπng of thrusters to reduce tangential velocity and reduce descent velocity to the same levels as occurred duπng ascent at an altitude of approximately 50 miles At this point, which is directly above the destination on the surface of the planet, the only tangential velocity that the airship/spacecraft should have is approximately the tangential velocity of the surface of the planet at the surface destination Also at this point, a number of the gas retaining structures should be near vacuum, and should start to take on ballast gases as the external pressure increases with the descent through the atmosphere However, the density of the gases in the gas retaining structures should be regulated to regulate the buoyancy thereof so as to reduce the velocity of descent to avoid atmospheric friction heating and adverse deceleration effects on the load and occupants of the airship/spacecraft Below the altitude of neutral buoyancy, the descent may be regulated by controlling the buoyancy of the airship/spacecraft and retrofiπng of thrusters Landing of the airship/spacecraft is then as an airship augmented by thruster lift and control

The airship/spacecraft and methods for transition to space travel disclosed herein are adaptable to other planet-atmosphere systems, and are not intended to be limited solely for use in the earth system

While the invention has been disclosed in connection with a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that there is no intention to limit the invention to the particular embodiment shown, but it is intended to cover the various alternative and equivalent constructions included within the spiπt and scope of the appended claims

Brief Descπption of the Drawings

FIG 1 is a diagrammatic side view of the airship/spacecraft

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the spacecraft body of the airship/spacecraft shown in FIG. 1

FIG. 3a is a diagrammatic side view of a diaphragm membrane for compartmentahzation of gas retaining structures expanded

(above), and (in cross-section) folded (below) FIG. 3b is a perspective view of the diaphragm membrane shown in FIG 3a

FIGS.4a through 4ι are schematic side views of a gas retaining structure separated into two gas-tight compartments with a flexible membrane in the sequence of the process of introducing gas into the lower compartment and exhausting gas from the upper compartment

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic side cutaway view of a gas retaining structure containing other separate gas retaining structures FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic perspective cutaway view of the gas retaining structure shown in FIG 5

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic side cutaway view of nested gas retaining structures

FIG 8 is a diagrammatic perspective cutaway view of the nested gas retaining structures shown in FIG 7 FIG. 9 is diagrammatic perspective view from below of an airship/spacecraft with a structurally integrated spacecraft body FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic perspective cutaway view from below of the airship/spacecraft shown in FIG 9 FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view of the region of cutaway shown in FIG. 10

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic side view of the airship/spacecraft with a gas retaining structure constructed of toroidal structural elements and with a spacecraft body designed for integration into a space structure FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic perspective view from below of the airship/spacecraft shown in FIG 12 FIG 14 is a diagrammatic side view of the airship/spacecraft shown in FIG 12 with a contracted gas retaining structure FIG 15 is a diagrammatic side view of the airship/spacecraft shown in FIG 12 with an expanded gas retaining structure

FIG 16 is a diagrammatic perspective view from abov e of a space structure compπsed of an array of three of the airship/spacecraft shown in FIG 12

FIG 17 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a space structure compπsed of a linear array of six of the space structures shown in FIG 16

FIG 18 is a diagrammatic perspective view from above of a space structure comprised of an array of six of the airship/spacecraft similar to that shown in FIG 12

FIG 19 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a space structure compπsed of a linear array of ten of the space structures shown

FIG. 20 is a longitudinal sectional view of a thmster which operates by turbo-compression of hydrogen and combustion with injected oxidizer.

FIG. 21 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a dual thmster which operates by separate turbo-compression of hydrogen and atmospheric oxidizer and mixing for combustion

Best Mode for Carrying Out Invention

Although the airship/spacecraft which uses lifting gas as fuel for thrusters to attain orbit may be utilized with various types of thrusters and gas retaining structures, the best mode of the invention includes components which are also inventive, such as the turbo-rocket thmster, gas retaining structures compartmentalized by a flexible membrane, ballast exhaust thrusters, and pressure vessel gas retaining structures, as part of the present invention

Industrial Applicability

Objects of the invention are to provide, an airship hich has sufficient buoyancy to rise vertically to an altitude of neutral buoyancy m the region of the stratosphere/ionosphere, an airship/spacecraft which uses its lifting gas as fuel for thrusters to power it to space flight; and, an airship/spacecraft that can descend to a planet's surface from space flight. It is also an object of the invention to reduce g-forces and atmosphenc fnction heating duπng ascent and descent It is also an object of the present invention to provide a reaction thrusting power plant which uses a gaseous fuel and is capable of accelerating a spacecraft to sub-orbital and orbital speeds and altitudes.

Claims

What I claim as my invention is Claim 1 An airship/spacecraft comprising one or more gas retaining structures, a spacecraft body connected to one or more gas retaining structures, one or more lifting gases, one or more thmsters fueled with a lifting gas, and a means of supplying a lifting gas from one or more gas retaining structures to one or more thmsters Claim 2 The airship/spacecraft of claim 1 wherein one of the lifting gases is hydrogen

Claim 3 The airship/spacecraft of claim 1 wherein one of the lifting gases is heated nitrogen Claim 4 The airship/spacecraft of claim 1 wherein the gas retaining structures are torsion structures

Claim 5 The airship/spacecraft of claim 1 further compπsmg a means for controlling the volume of one or more of the gas retaining structures Claim ό The airship/spacecraft of claim 1 further comprising a means for controlling the density of the gas in one or more of the gas retaining structures

Claim 7 The airship/spacecraft of claim 1 wherein the lifting gas is intaken and compressed by the thmsters that are fueled with lifting gas

Claim 8 The airship/spacecraft of claim 1 further compπsing one or more dual thmsters that separately intake and compress lifting gas and atmospheπc oxidizer for combustion

Claim 9 The airship/spacecraft of claim 1 wherein the spacecraft body is detachable from the buoyancy lifting component of the airship/spacecraft for independent aerodynamic flight

Claim 10 The airship/spacecraft of claim 1 wherein the spacecraft body has control surfaces for aerodynamically controlling the spacecraft body in atmospheπc flight Claim 11 The airship/spacecraft of claim 1 further compπsing a means for direction of the thrust of one or more of the thmsters Claim 12 The airship/spacecraft of claim 1 further compπsing a framework for a hull the shape of which is changeable under control

Claim 13 The airship/spacecraft of claim 12 further compnsing a framework hull which is also a gas retaining structure Claim 14 A pressure vessel designed to sustain a pressure differential between its interior and its surroundings, compnsing a hull formed from a multiplicity of nested shells including an innermost shell and several outer shells separated by intervening fluid filled clearances

Claim 15 The pressure vessel of claim 14 further compπsing a means for transporting fluid into and out of each of the nested shells.

Claim 16 The pressure vessel of claim 14 further compπsing a means for maintaining the individual pressure in each fluid filled clearance at a fractional value of the overall pressure differential between the inteπor of the innermost shell and the outside, the sum of the individual pressures in said clearances equaling said overall pressure differential

Claim 17 A pressure vessel compπsing a hull formed from a multiplicity of nested gas retaining structures including an innermost gas retaining structure and several outer gas retaining structures separated by intervening fluid filled clearances Claim 18 A pressure vessel comprising a hull formed from a plurality of nested gas retaining structures including an innermost gas retaining structure and a plurality of outer gas retaining structures separated by intervening gas filled clearances

Claim 19 The pressure vessel of claim 17 or claim 18 further comprising a means for transporting fluid into and out of each of the nested gas retaining structures

Claim 20 The pressure vessel of claim 17 or claim 18 further comprising a means for maintaining the individual pressure in each gas filled clearance at a fractional value of the overall pressure differential between the interior of the innermost gas retaining structure and the outside, the sum of the individual pressures in said clearances equaling said overall pressure differential Claim 21 The pressure vessel of claim 17 or claim 18 in which the gas retaining stmctures are compound gas retaining stmctures

Claim 22 A buoyancy lifting capacity control system compnsing a flexible gas impermeable membrane attached within an airship gas retaining structure , said membrane being roughly of the same shape of one of the halves of the gas retaining structure, so that said membrane can be expanded to the shape of either half of the gas retaining structure, which partitions the gas retaining structure so that separate gas tight compartments may be formed by the wails of the gas retaining structure and said membrane, so that each gas tight compartment may each have approximately the same volume as the volume of the gas retaining structure when the membrane is fully expanded Claim 23 The buoyancy lifting capacity control system of Claim 22, wherein a sheet matenal thin enough to conform roughly to the shape of one half of the gas retaining structure while maintaining its structural integπty and separation of the gases on either side of the membrane

Claim 24 The buoyancy lifting capacity control system of Claim 22, wherein the flexible membrane is a folded diaphragm

Claim 25 The buoyancy lifting capacity control system of Claim 24, wherein the folded diaphragm flexible membrane is of a sufficiently flexible material so that the membrane can expand to approximate the shape of a half of the gas retaining structure

Claim 26 The buoyancy lifting capacity control system of Claim 24, wherein the fold creases in the folded diaphragm flexible membrane are be reinforced with a spnng wire,

Claim 27 The buoyancy lifting capacity control system of Claim 24, wherein the folds in the folded diaphragm flexible membrane are permanently formed with the membrane Claim 28 The buoyancy lifting capacity control system of Claim 20, wherein the flexible membrane functions as a pump to exhaust a second gas from the gas retaining structure motivated by the introduction of a first gas into the gas retaining structure on one side of the membrane, the first side, with a greater pressure than a second gas on the opposite side of the membrane, the second side, so that the second gas on the second side of the membrane is exhausted from a port in the gas retaining structure on the second side of the membrane Claim 29 The buoyancy lifting capacity control system of 28, wherein the second gas is ballast gas

Claim 30 The buoyancy lifting capacity control system of Claim 29, wherein the ballast gases exhausted from a port in a gas retaining structure is piped to thmster nozzles

Claim 31 The buoyancy lifting capacity control system of Claim 28, wherein the first gas is lifting gas

Claim 32 The buoyancy lifting capacity control system of Claim 31, wherein the lifting gases are stored as liquid gases in tanks for expansion into a gaseous state for introduction into a gas retaining structure

Claim 33 A ballast exhaust gas thmster compπsing one or more buoyancy lifting capacity control systems, conduits for ballast exhaust gases from gas retaining stmctures with buoyancy lifting capacity control systems, and one or more directional thmster nozzles for ballast exhaust gases to direct the thmst of the exhaust, so that lift and steering of the airship/spacecraft are assisted

Claim 34 A buoyancy lifting component of the airship/spacecraft compnsing one or more gas retaining stmctures, one or more lifting gases, one or more ballast gases, and one or more buoyancy lifting capacity control systems

Claim 35 The buoyancy lifting component of the airship/spacecraft of claim 34 wherein the gas retaining stmctures are torsion stmctures

Claim 36 The buoyancy lifting component of the airship/spacecraft of claim 34 wherein the gas retaining stmctures are toroidal torsion stmctures

Claim 37 The buoyancy lifting component of the airship/spacecraft of claim 34 further compπsing or more ballast exhaust gas thmsters

Claim 38 The buoyancy lifting component of the airship/spacecraft of claim 34 further compπsing a means for controlling the volume of one or more of the gas retaining stmctures

Claim 39 The buoyancy lifting component of the airship/spacecratt of claim 34 further compπsing a means for controlling the density of the gas in one or more of the gas retaining stmctures

Claim 40 The buoyancy lifting component of the airship/spacecraft of claim 34 wherein the one or more gas retaining stmctures are compound gas retaining stmctures

Claim 41 The buoyancy lifting component of the airship/spacecraft of claim 34 wherein one or more gas retaining stmctures are nested to form a pressure vessel Claim 42 A method of controlling ascent of an airship with a buo ancy lifting capacity control system compnsing

(a) filling the membrane partitioned airship gas retaining stmctures with ballast gases on one side of the membrane so that the compartment on the opposite side of the membrane is empty,

(b) introducing lifting gas into such empty compartment,

(c) exhausting the ballast gases as they are displaced by the expansion of the compartment into which the lifting gas is being introduced, so that a chosen value for vertical acceleration of the airship is maintained as desired

Claim 43 The method of claim 42 wherein the step of introducing lifting gas is performed so that the introduction of lifting gas is gradual

Claim 44 The method of claim 42 wherein the step of exhausting the ballast gases is performed so that the exhaustion of the ballast gases is gradual

Claim 45 The method of claim 42 wherein the steps of introducing lifting gas and exhausting the ballast gases are performed simultaneously

Claim 46 The method of claim 42 wherein the step of exhausting the ballast gases is performed so that the exhaustion of the ballast gases is directed to provide directional thmst for the airship Claim 47 The method of claim 42 wherein the step of exhausting the ballast gases is performed so that the exhaustion of the ballast gases is assisted by an exhausting means

Claim 48 The method of claim 42 wherein the step of exhausting the ballast gases is performed so that the ballast gases are exhausted from a port in the gas retaining structure on the ballast gas side of the membrane

Claim 49 The method of claim 42 wherein the steps of introducing lifting gas and exhausting the ballast gases are performed without the mixing of the lifting gas with the ballast gases

Claim 50 The method of claim 42 wherein the step of introducing lifting gas is preceded by the expansion to a gaseous state of lifting gas stored as a liquid in tanks

Claim 51 An airship/spacecraft array compπsing a plurality of connected airship/spacecraft

Claim 52. A method for providing centπfugal artificial gravity compπsing rotating an airship/spacecraft array at sufficient rotational velocity

Claim 53 A gaseous-fuel breathing, stored oxidizer turbo-rocket th ster compπsing

(a) a gas duct defining a gaseous-fuel intake,

(b) a source of gaseous fuel,

(c) a source of stored oxidizer,

(d) a compressor means for compressing gaseous fuel the compressor means being disposed axially within the gas duct,

(e) injector means to inject oxidizer into the compressed gaseous fuel so that the oxidizer mixes with the compressed gaseous fuel,

(f) a turbine means operatively associated with the compressor means to drive the compressor means, the turbine means being disposed axially within the gas duct, wherein the turbine means is driven by the gaseous fuel burning with the oxidizer, and

(g) a nozzle means operatively associated with the gas duct to exhaust gases from the gas duct

Claim 54 The turbo-rocket thmster of claim 53, further compπsing a heat exchange means interposed between the stored oxidizer 1 source and the oxidizer injectors to raise the temperature of the oxidizer before enteπng the combustion chamber and to cool at least one component of the nozzle means

Claim 55 The turbo-rocket thmster of claim 53, wherein the source of gaseous fuel is a reservoir of such gaseous fuel

Claim 56 The turbo-rocket thmster of claim 53, wherein the gaseous fuel is hydrogen 5 Claim 57 The turbo-rocket thmster of claim 53, wherein the compressor means compnses an axial compressor for compressing gaseous fuel, the axial compressor comprising at least one compressor rotor, each compressor rotor having a plurality of compressor blades extending radially therefrom and disposed within the gas duct

Claim 58 The turbo-rocket thmster of claim 53, wherein the turbine means compnses an axial turbine for dπving the compressor means, the axial turbine compnsing at least one turbine rotor, each turbine rotor having a plurality of turbine blades extending 10 radially therefrom and disposed within the gas duct

Claim 59 The turbo-rocket thmster of claim 53, further compπsing a pump means to pump the oxidizer from the source of stored oxidizer through the oxidizer circuit to the injector means

Claim 60 A turbo-rocket thmster compπsing

(a) a gas duct defining a gaseous-fuel intake, '5 (b) a source of gaseous fuel,

(c) a source of stored oxidizer,

(d) a turbine compressor for compressing gaseous fuel, the turbine compressor being disposed axially within the gas duct,

(e) one or more injectors to inject oxidizer into the compressed gaseous fuel so that the oxidizer mixes with the compressed gaseous fuel,

20 (f) a gas turbine operatively associated with the turbine compressor to dπve the turbine compressor, the gas turbine being disposed axially within the gas duct, wherein the gas turbine is dnven by the gaseous fuel burning with the oxidizer, and

(g) a nozzle operatively associated with the gas duct to exhaust gases from the gas duct

Claim 61 The turbo-rocket thmster of claim 60, further compπsing a heat exchanger interposed between the stored oxidizer source and the oxidizer injectors to raise the temperature of the oxidizer before enteπng the combustion chamber and to cool at least one 2 component of the nozzle

Claim 62 The turbo-rocket thmster of claim 60, wherein the source of gaseous fuel is a reservoir of such gaseous fuel

Claim 63 The turbo-rocket thmster of claim 60, wherein the gaseous fuel is hydrogen

Claim 64 The turbo-rocket thmster of claim 60, w herein the turbine compressor comprises an axial compressor for compressing gaseous fuel, the axial compressor comprising at least one compressor rotor, each compressor rotor having a plurality of compressor 0 blades extending radially therefrom and disposed v\ ithin the gas duct

Claim 65 The turbo-rocket thmster of claim 60, wherein the gas turbine comprises an axial turbine for dπving the turbine compressor, the axial turbine compπsing at least one turbine rotor, each turbine rotor having a plurality of turbine blades extending radially therefrom and disposed within the gas duct

Claim 66 The turbo-rocket thmster of claim 60, further compπsing a pump to pump the oxidizer from the source of stored oxidizer 3' through the oxidizer circuit to the injectors

Claim 67 A turbo-rocket thmster compπsing

(a) a gas duct defining a gaseous-fuel intake,

(b) a source of gaseous first propellant chemical,

(c) a source of second propellant chemical,

(d) a turbine compressor for compressing the gaseous first propellant chemical, the turbine compressor being disposed axially within the gas duct,

(e) one or more injectors to inject the second propellant chemical into the compressed gaseous first propellant chemical so that the second propellant chemical mixes with the compressed gaseous first propellant chemical,

(f) a gas turbine operatively associated with the turbine compressor to drive the turbine compressor, the gas turbine being disposed axially within the gas duct, wherein the gas turbine is dnven by the gaseous first propellant chemical reacting exothermically with the second propellant chemical, and

Claim 68 The turbo-rocket thmster of claim 67, wherein the source of gaseous first propellant chemical is a reservoir of such gaseous first propellant chemical Claim 69 The turbo-rocket thmster of claim 67, further compnsing a heat exchanger interposed between the second propellant chemical source and the second propellant chemical injectors to raise the temperature of the second propellant chemical before enteπng the combustion chamber and to cool at least one component of the nozzle

Claim 70 The turbo-rocket thmster of claim 67, wherein the turbine compressor compnses an axial compressor for compressing the gaseous first propellant chemical, the axial compressor comprising at least one compressor rotor, each compressor rotor having a plurality of compressor blades extending radially therefrom and disposed within the gas duct

Claim 71 The turbo-rocket thmster of claim 67, wherein the gas turbine compnses an axial turbine for dnving the turbine compressor, the axial turbine compπsing at least one turbine rotor, each turbine rotor having a plurality of turbine blades extending radially therefrom and disposed within the gas duct

Claim 72 The turbo-rocket thmster of claim 67, further compπsing a pump to pump the second propellant chemical from the source of stored second propellant chemical through the second propellant chemical circuit to the injectors

Claim 73 A method of extracting fuel gas from a gas retaining structure compπsing the step of contracting the framework of the gas retaining structure

Claim 74 A multi-turbo-rocket thmster compπsing a plurality of turbo-rocket th sters connected so that the thmsters have a common combustion chamber a source of gaseous fuel, a source of oxidizer, and one or more mechanical doors separating the gas flows of the turbo-rocket thmsters from each other when said mechanical doors are closed

Claim 75 The multi-turbo-rocket thmster of claim 74, wherein the oxidizer is atmospheπc oxygen intaken by one or more of the thmsters and the gaseous fuel is intaken by the remaining thmsters and burned with the atmosphenc oxygen in the common combustion chamber

Claim 76 The multi-turbo-rocket thmster of claim 74, wherein gaseous fuel is intaken by ail of the thmsters and burned with injected stored oxygen

Claim 77 The multi-turbo-rocket thmster of claim 74, wherein the combustion chamber doors are closed and gaseous fuel is intaken by one or more of the thmsters and burned with injected stored oxygen and atmosphenc oxygen is intaken by one or more of the remaining thmsters to bum injected fuel

Claim 78 A method for attaining orbit about the earth with an airship/spacecraft following launch from its moonngs and jettison of ballast, compnsing the steps of

(a) regulating the buoyancy of the gas retaining stmctures of the airship/spacecraft to control the ascent of the airship/spacecraft, (b) activating one or more thmsters of the airship/spacecraft at approximately the altitude of neutral buoyancy,

(c) continuing the ascent of the airship/spacecraft with the application of thmster power,

(d) decreasing the climb angle of the airship/spacecraft, and

(e) increasing the tangential velocity of the airship/spacecraft to orbital velocity while decreasing the climb angle

Claim 79 The method of claim 78 wherein the step of regulating the buoyancy includes introduction of lifting gases into the gas retaining stmctures of the airship/spacecraft and the concurrent exhaustion of ballast gases to the atmosphere

Claim 80 The method of claim 78 comprising the additional step of jettisoning tanks in which liquid lifting gas was stored after the contents have been removed

Claim 81 The method of claim 78 wherein the step of regulating the buoyancy includes regulating the upward acceleration of the airship/spacecraft duπng buoyant ascent to maximize the altitude at which neutral buoyancy occurs

Claim 82 The method of claim 78 wherein the step of regulating the buoyancy includes regulating the upward acceleration of the airship/spacecraft during buoyant ascent to maximize the momentum of the airship/spacecraft at neutral buoyancy.

Claim 83. The method of claim 78 wherein the step of regulating the buoyancy includes regulating the upward acceleration of the airship/spacecraft during buoyant ascent to minimize the acceleration experienced by the airship/spacecraft to the point of neutral buoyancy.

Claim 84. The method of claim 78 wherein the steps of regulating the buoyancy, activating one or more thmsters, and continuing the ascent of the airship/spacecraft with the application of thmster power include maintaining vertical ascent of the airship/spacecraft through the atmosphere until atmospheric drag on the airship/spacecraft becomes insignificant.

Claim 85. The method of claim 78 wherein the steps of regulating the buoyancy, activating one or more thmsters, and continuing the ascent of the airship/spacecraft with the application of thmster power include maintaining vertical ascent of the airship/spacecraft through the atmosphere to an altitude of approximately 50 miles.

Claim 86. The method of claim 78 wherein the steps of regulating the buoyancy, activating one or more thmsters, and continuing the ascent of the airship/spacecraft with the application of thmster power include maintaining the horizontal velocity imparted to the airship/spacecraft at launch due to the rotation of the earth during the ascent of the airship/spacecraft through the atmosphere until atmospheric drag on the airship/spacecraft becomes insignificant. Claim 87. The method of claim 78 wherein the steps of regulating the buoyancy, activating one or more thmsters, and continuing the ascent of the airship/spacecraft with the application of thmster power include maintaining the horizontal velocity imparted to the airship/spacecraft at launch due to the rotation of the earth during the ascent of the airship/spacecraft through the atmosphere to an altitude of approximately 50 miles.

Claim 88. The method of claim 78 wherein the steps of activating one or more thmsters, continuing the ascent of the airship/spacecraft with the application of thmster power and increasing the tangential velocity include fueling thmsters with lifting gas.

Claim 89. The method of claim 78 wherein the step of increasing the tangential velocity includes adjusting the tangential velocity and climb angle of the airship/spacecraft for orbital injection at the chosen altitude.

Claim 90. A method for suborbital travel between two surface locations on a planet with an atmosphere with an airship/spacecraft following launch from its moorings and jettison of ballast, comprising the steps of:

(a) regulating the buoyancy of the gas retaining stmctures of the airship/spacecraft to control the ascent of the airship/spacecraft;

(b) activating one or more thmsters of the airship/spacecraft at approximately the altitude of neutral buoyancy;

(c) continuing the ascent of the airship/spacecraft with the application of thmster power;

(d) decreasing the climb angle of the airship/spacecraft; and (e) increasing the tangential velocity of the airship/spacecraft while decreasing the climb angle and vertical velocity to approximately zero at a point above the planet's surface which is approximately equidistant from the location of launch of the airship/spacecraft on the planet's surface to the location of the destination on the planet's surface.

(f) retrofiring and directing thmsters so that the airship/spacecraft travels on a trajectory to a point above the location of the destination on the planet's surface at which the airship/spacecraft has neutral buoyancy and a tangential velocity approximately that of the location of the destination on the planet's surface due to rotation of the planet.

(g) regulating the buoyancy of the gas retaining stmctures of the airship/spacecraft to control the descent of the airship/spacecraft; (h) maintaining a tangential velocity approximately that of the location of the destination on the planet's surface due to rotation of the planet during descent, so that the descent is vertical;

(i) retrofiring of thmsters to augment buoyancy force to land the airship/spacecraft at the location of the destination on the planet's surface.

Claim 91. The method for suborbital travel between two surface locations on a planet with an aiship/spacecraft of Claim 90, wherein the planet is the earth.

Claim 92. A method for travel to the surface of a planet from an orbit about the planet with an airship/spacecraft, comprising the steps of: (a) retrofiring and directing thmsters so that the airship/spacecraft travels on a trajectory to a point above the location of the

-lό- destination on the planet's surface at which the airship/spacecraft has neutral buoyancy and a tangential velocity approximately that of the location of the destination on the planet's surface due to rotation of the planet,

(b) reducing the tangential and descent velocities ,

(c) regulating the buoyancy of the gas retaining stmctures of the airship/spacecraft to control the vertical descent of the airship/spacecraft,

(d) maintaining a tangential velocity approximately that of the location of the destination on the planet's surface due to rotation of the planet duπng descent, so that the descent is vertical,

(e) retrofinng of thmsters to augment buoyancy force to land the airship/spacecraft at the location of the destination on the planet's surface Claim 93 The method for travel to the surface of a planet from an orbit about the planet with an airship/spacecraft of Claim 92, wherein the planet is the earth Claim 94 An airship/spacecraft compnsing one or more gas retaining stmctures, one or more gas retaining stmctures each further compπsing a buoyancy lifting capacity control system; one or more gas retaining stmctures each further compπsing a pressure vessel designed to sustain a pressure differential between its inteπor and its surroundings, a spacecraft body connected to one or more gas retaining stmctures, one or more lifting gases, one or more thmsters fueled with a lifting gas, a means of supplying a lifting gas from one or more gas retaining stmctures to one or more thmsters; and one or more ballast exhaust gas thmsters Claim 95 An airship/spacecraft compπsing one or more gas retaining stmctures, one or more gas retaining stmctures each further compπsing a buoyancy lifting capacity control system; a spacecraft body connected to one or more gas retaining stmctures, one or more lifting gases, one or more thmsters fueled with a lifting gas, a means of supplying a lifting gas from one or more gas retaining stmctures to one or more thmsters; and one or more ballast exhaust gas thmsters Claim 96 An airship/spacecraft compnsing one or more gas retaining stmctures, one or more gas retaining stmctures each further compnsing a buoyancy lifting capacity control system, a spacecraft body connected to one or more gas retaining stmctures, one or more lifting gases, one or more thmsters fueled with a lifting gas, and a means of supplying a lifting gas from one or more gas retaining stmctures to one or more thmsters