GB2603945A - Escape system for spaceplanes - Google Patents

Escape system for spaceplanes Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2603945A
GB2603945A GB2102449.2A GB202102449A GB2603945A GB 2603945 A GB2603945 A GB 2603945A GB 202102449 A GB202102449 A GB 202102449A GB 2603945 A GB2603945 A GB 2603945A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
spaceplane
parachute
cabin
streamer
detachable
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB2102449.2A
Other versions
GB202102449D0 (en
GB2603945B (en
Inventor
Desmond Lewis Stephen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB2102449.2A priority Critical patent/GB2603945B/en
Publication of GB202102449D0 publication Critical patent/GB202102449D0/en
Publication of GB2603945A publication Critical patent/GB2603945A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2603945B publication Critical patent/GB2603945B/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64G—COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
    • B64G1/00—Cosmonautic vehicles
    • B64G1/22—Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles
    • B64G1/64—Systems for coupling or separating cosmonautic vehicles or parts thereof, e.g. docking arrangements
    • B64G1/645—Separators
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64D—EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENTS OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
    • B64D25/00—Emergency apparatus or devices, not otherwise provided for
    • B64D25/08—Ejecting or escaping means
    • B64D25/12—Ejectable capsules
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64D—EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENTS OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
    • B64D17/00—Parachutes
    • B64D17/80—Parachutes in association with aircraft, e.g. for braking thereof
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64G—COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
    • B64G1/00—Cosmonautic vehicles
    • B64G1/22—Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles
    • B64G1/52—Protection, safety or emergency devices; Survival aids
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64G—COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
    • B64G1/00—Cosmonautic vehicles
    • B64G1/22—Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles
    • B64G1/52—Protection, safety or emergency devices; Survival aids
    • B64G1/525—Survival aids
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64G—COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
    • B64G1/00—Cosmonautic vehicles
    • B64G1/22—Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles
    • B64G1/52—Protection, safety or emergency devices; Survival aids
    • B64G1/58—Thermal protection, e.g. heat shields
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64G—COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
    • B64G1/00—Cosmonautic vehicles
    • B64G1/22—Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles
    • B64G1/62—Systems for re-entry into the earth's atmosphere; Retarding or landing devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64G—COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
    • B64G1/00—Cosmonautic vehicles
    • B64G1/22—Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles
    • B64G1/60—Crew or passenger accommodations

Abstract

A spaceplane 1 comprising a detachable cabin 2 with a heat shield, and parachute / streamer means 3, wherein the cabin is attached to the spaceplane via structural means that are designed to fail when an increased drag force is experienced due to the deployment of the parachute / streamer means. There may be two or more parachute / streamer means and a first parachute means / streamer means may be sacrificial after detaching the cabin and a second or more parachute / streamer means may be used for stabilisation and/or landing the cabin. The system is designed to save crew members if the heat shield of the spaceplane is compromised during re-entry.

Description

Escape system for spaceplanes This invention relates to a system to enable escape from a spaceplane.
The re-entry from space of an orbiting spaceplane creates a large amount of heat on the airframe, which, if this heat breaches any part of any heat shield could lead to the loss of the craft and anyone onboard. Typically in this situation the velocities and energies are too great for a parachute to work or to even survive. To overcome this, the present invention proposes a spaceplane, said spaceplane having a detachable cabin housing passengers and/or crew wherein said removable cabin has its own heat shield means, wherein said detachable cabin detaches from said spaceplane by means of a drag force generated by said detachable cabin deploying a parachute means and/or streamer means, wherein structural parts that attach said detachable cabin to said spaceplane are designed to fail under said drag force created by said parachute means and/or streamer means.
If the heat shield of the spaceplane fails, the deployment of the parachute or streamer will pull the cabin free from the spaceplane allowing the fresh undamaged heat shield of the cabin to protect those on board allowing the cabin to land by parachute descent.
Preferably, there are two or more said parachute means and/or streamer means.
Preferably, a first parachute means and or streamer means is sacrificial after creating said drag force required to detach said detachable cabin from said spaceplane.
Preferably, said second or more parachute means and/or streamer means are used for stabilisation and/or landing said detachable cabin.
An example of the invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawing: -figure 1 shows a side view of escape system for spaceplanes according to the invention.
A spaceplane 1 has a detachable cabin 2 which detaches from the spaceplane under the drag force created by deploying a parachute or streamer means 3. The detachable cabin has its own heat shield means (not shown) to survive re-entry and the cabin's structural parts that attach it to the spaceplane fail under the force of the parachute and/or streamer to allow detachment. There may be two or more parachute or streamer means and a first parachute means or streamer means may be sacrificial after detaching the cabin and a second or more parachute or streamer means may be used for stabilisation and/or landing the cabin.

Claims (4)

  1. Claims 1 A spaceplane, said spaceplane having a detachable cabin housing passengers and/or crew wherein said removable cabin has its own heat shield means, wherein said detachable cabin detaches from said spaceplane by means of a drag force generated by said detachable cabin deploying a parachute means and/or streamer means, wherein structural parts that attach said detachable cabin to said spaceplane are designed to fail under said drag force created by said parachute means and/or streamer means.
  2. 2 A spaceplane according to claim 1, wherein there are two or more said parachute means and/or streamer means.
  3. 3 A spaceplane according to claim 2, wherein a first parachute means and/or streamer means is sacrificial after creating said drag force required to detach said detachable cabin from said spaceplane.
  4. 4 A spaceplane according to either of claims 2 and 3, wherein said second or more parachute means and/or streamer means are used for stabilisation and/or landing said detachable cabin.
GB2102449.2A 2021-02-22 2021-02-22 Escape system for spaceplanes Active GB2603945B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB2102449.2A GB2603945B (en) 2021-02-22 2021-02-22 Escape system for spaceplanes

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB2102449.2A GB2603945B (en) 2021-02-22 2021-02-22 Escape system for spaceplanes

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB202102449D0 GB202102449D0 (en) 2021-04-07
GB2603945A true GB2603945A (en) 2022-08-24
GB2603945B GB2603945B (en) 2023-04-05

Family

ID=75339129

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB2102449.2A Active GB2603945B (en) 2021-02-22 2021-02-22 Escape system for spaceplanes

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2603945B (en)

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5568903A (en) * 1995-01-18 1996-10-29 Pena; Jesus S. Plane saddle for a safety airplane
WO2007065175A2 (en) * 2005-12-02 2007-06-07 American Spacecraft Corporation Reusable space launch, orbital, and re-entry vehicle

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5568903A (en) * 1995-01-18 1996-10-29 Pena; Jesus S. Plane saddle for a safety airplane
WO2007065175A2 (en) * 2005-12-02 2007-06-07 American Spacecraft Corporation Reusable space launch, orbital, and re-entry vehicle

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB202102449D0 (en) 2021-04-07
GB2603945B (en) 2023-04-05

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746 Register noted 'licences of right' (sect. 46/1977)

Effective date: 20230403