JP2789959B2 - Nose fairing device for rocket - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a nose fairing device used to protect a payload in a rocket equipped with a spacecraft such as an artificial satellite as a payload in the atmosphere.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A nose fairing device for a rocket of this type is used, for example, in a rocket for launching a satellite.
It is used to protect the satellite mounted on the head of the rocket from airflow, and is separated and discarded after exiting the atmosphere.

[0003] Such a nose fairing device is described, for example, in "Aerospace Engineering Handbook, Supplementary Edition" published by Maruzen in 1983, at pages 452, 453, 461 and 462. Have been.

[0004]

By the way, a rocket used for launching a spacecraft such as an artificial satellite has a system for self-destruction by a command signal from the ground in order to ensure safety on the ground. It will be exploded if any abnormalities occur after launch, which could damage the ground.

[0005] In response to such an emergency, in the case of a rocket equipped with a conventional nose fairing device, the payload is destroyed simultaneously with the rocket. The enormity has created a need to take remedial action on the payload.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional situation, and has a nose fairing device for a rocket capable of recovering a payload when an emergency occurs after the launch of the rocket. It is intended to provide.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A nose fairing for a rocket according to the present invention comprises a conical head provided with a side thruster and a cylindrical payload accommodating portion provided with a partition on the lower side. Along with constituting a ring, the head and the payload accommodating portion, and the payload accommodating portion and the lower rocket step portion thereof are separably connected to each other, and a parachute for descent is accommodated in the head, While connecting the payload in the payload accommodating portion and the final stage rocket motor in the rocket step portion with a connection member provided in a penetrating state in the partition portion, the connection member is vertically positioned at a lower position of the partition portion in the connection member. It has a configuration in which a separating portion for separation is provided, and the above configuration is used as means for solving the problem.

[0008]

The nose fairing device for a rocket according to the present invention provides a timing for separating the nose between the head and the payload receiving portion, between the payload receiving portion and the rocket step portion, and between the payload and the rocket motor. By changing the timing of operating the side thruster and the presence or absence of separation, the emergency operation can be performed in addition to the normal operation.

That is, the nose fairing device for a rocket normally separates the head from the payload accommodating portion, separates the head by the side thruster, and then separates the payload accommodating portion from the rocket step. Expose the payload. Thereafter, the payload is put into a predetermined orbit by a rocket motor.

In the emergency nose fairing device for a rocket, the nose fairing in a state where the payload is accommodated is separated from the payload accommodating portion and the rocket step portion, and the separated portion of the coupled body is separated in an emergency. After that, the parachute is opened. As a result, the payload is recovered while being protected by the nose fairing formed by the head and the payload accommodating portion having the partition wall on the lower side.

[0011]

1 to 3 show an embodiment of a nose fairing device for a rocket according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the nose fairing device comprises a nose fairing having a conical head 2 having a side thruster 1 and a cylindrical payload accommodating portion 4 having a partition wall 3 on the lower side. A ring F is configured to protect a payload (for example, an artificial satellite) P mounted on the head of the multistage rocket in the atmosphere.

The head 2 is divided into three parts, an upper part 5, a middle part 6, and a lower part 7, which are connected to be separable. An auxiliary parachute 8 for initial deceleration is accommodated between the upper section 5 and the middle section 6, and the auxiliary parachute 8 is attached to the middle section 6. A main parachute 9 sufficient to slowly lower the nose fairing F and the payload P is accommodated between the middle section 6 and the lower section 7.
It is attached to.

The head 2 includes a side thruster 1 using, for example, a solid propellant in a lower portion 7 thereof, and is separably connected to a lower payload accommodating portion 4.

The payload accommodating section 4 has a main body composed of two vertically divided segments 10 and 10 parallel to the machine axis. In this embodiment, the partition section 3 is a separate body. The segments 10, 10 and the partition 3 are connected to be separable from each other. The partition 3 integrally has a side wall 11 that forms a lower portion of the nose fairing F. At a lower end of the side wall 11, the partition 3 can be separated from a rocket step 12 below the nose fairing F. Connected to.

A final stage rocket motor 13 is accommodated in the rocket step portion 12, and the rocket motor 13 is connected to a connecting member 14 provided in the partition wall portion 13 in a penetrating state.
Through the payload P in the payload storage unit 4. Further, the connecting body 14 is provided with a separating portion 15 for separating the connecting body 14 up and down at a lower position of the partition 13, and in this embodiment, a similar portion is also provided at an upper position of the partition 13. A separating portion 16 is provided.

In the above configuration, a coupling / separation mechanism using a pyrotechnic, a spring for imparting separation force, or the like is used for the separable connection part. In addition, each separation part in the payload accommodating part 4, the partition part 13 and the connector 1
4 and the inside of the connector 14 have a watertight structure, and the payload accommodating portion 4 is provided with a vent valve for discharging the internal air when the rocket goes up.

The nose fairing device having the above-described structure is used when the rocket escapes from the atmosphere, as shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the head 2 and the payload accommodation section 4 are separated,
After the head 2 is disengaged from the orbit of the rocket by the operation of the side thruster (denoted by the symbol J), as shown in FIG.
10 are separated to expose the payload P.

As shown in FIG. 2 (c), after separating the lower end of the partition 3 from the rocket step 12, the payload P is put into a predetermined orbit by the operation of the rocket motor 13, and After the operation of the motor 13 is completed, the rocket motor 13 is separated by the separating portion 16 on the upper side of the partition 3 as shown in FIG.

Further, the nose fairing F, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), can be used in an emergency where the rocket after launch has an abnormality and the rocket must self-detonate. And the rocket step 12 is separated from the lower end of the partition wall 3, and the payload P and the rocket motor 13 are separated by the cut-off portion 15 on the lower side of the partition wall 3. The thruster 1 is moved out of the orbit of the rocket by the operation (indicated by the symbol J).

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), the nose fairing device removes the upper step 5 of the head 2 to open the auxiliary parachute 8 to perform the initial deceleration, As shown in FIG. 3 (c), by removing the middle section 6 of the head 2, the main parachute 9 is opened and slowly descends. In addition, it is easy to draw out the main parachute 9 with the auxiliary parachute 8.

In this manner, the payload P is placed on the ground or at sea, protected by the nose fairing F composed of the head portion 2 and the payload accommodating portion 4 having the partition wall portion 3 on the lower side. It will fall and be collected.

It is also possible to provide an automatically inflatable air bag under the nose fairing F so as to absorb the impact at the time of landing or landing, or to impart buoyancy. A transmitter may be provided in the fairing F to make it easier to find.

In the above embodiment, since the partition wall 3 is separate from the payload accommodating section 4, the connecting body 14 between the payload P and the rocket motor 13 is provided with two separating sections 15 and 16, Finally, separation is performed at the upper separating section 16, and in an emergency, the lower separating section 15 is used.
However, as shown in FIG. 4, the nose fairing device may have a configuration in which the partition wall portion 3 is provided integrally with the payload accommodating portion 4, and in this case, The partition part 3 may be divided into two parts in accordance with the segments 10, 10, and the separating part 15 may be provided only at a position below the partition part 3 in the connecting body 14.

[0025]

As described above, the nose fairing device for a rocket according to the present invention does not impair the function of the rocket in a normal state, and causes an emergency in which the rocket must be self-detonated after launch. The nose fairing and payload from the rocket body,
There is an excellent effect that the payload can be recovered in a protected state together with the slow descent by the parachute. Further, the recovered payload can be sufficiently used for the relaunch, which can contribute to saving of the cost required for the relaunch and shortening of the number of production days.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating a nose fairing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a normal operation of the nose fairing device shown in FIG. 1 in a state in which the head is removed (a), a state in which the payload accommodating section is separated (b), and a state in which the nose fairing apparatus is separated from the rocket step (c). And a side view showing a state where the rocket motor and the payload are separated.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the nose fairing is detached (a), a state in which the auxiliary parachute is opened (b), and a state in which the main parachute is opened, as an emergency operation of the nose fairing device shown in FIG. It is each a side view.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a nose fairing device according to another embodiment of the present invention in a partially broken state.

[Explanation of symbols]

 F Nose fairing P Payload 1 Side thruster 2 Head 3 Partition wall 4 Payload accommodating part 8 Auxiliary parachute 9 Main parachute 12 Rocket step 13 Rocket motor 14 Connecting part 15 Disconnect part

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A nose fairing comprising a conical head provided with a side thruster and a cylindrical payload accommodating portion provided with a partition on the lower side, and the head, the payload accommodating portion, and The payload accommodating portion and the lower rocket step portion are separably connected to each other, a parachute for descent is accommodated in the head, and the payload accommodating portion is provided with a connector provided in a penetrating state in the partition wall portion. A nose for a rocket, wherein the nose of the rocket is connected to a payload of the rocket and a final stage rocket motor in the step of the rocket, and a separation portion is provided at a lower position of the partition in the connection to vertically separate the connection. Fairing equipment.