JP2792440B2 - Spacecraft - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to satellites and other space vehicles carried by rockets from the ground to space, and more particularly to space vehicles using fairings as structures.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional fairing is disclosed in, for example,
As described in U.S. Pat. No. -237300, it was part of a rocket and was used only to protect the satellite from the atmospheric aerodynamic environment until it was put into orbit. Thus, the fairing was separated from the rocket after the rocket passed through the atmospheric environment and before the satellite was separated from the rocket. Later, the fairing fell to the ground under gravity.

[0003]

As described above, in the past, fairings were treated as part of a rocket and were only used during periods when the satellite was being transported into the atmospheric environment.

Generally, the launchable weight of a rocket is limited, and a great deal of effort has been made to keep the weight of a spacecraft such as a satellite within the launchable weight of a rocket. Therefore, the fairing used only during the transportation of the atmospheric environment and discarded thereafter became a serious limiting factor in increasing the launchable weight of the rocket.

The present invention makes effective use of fairings,
The purpose is to make effective use of the launchable weight of the rocket.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the relationship between a rocket, a fairing, and a satellite in the process of launching a conventional artificial satellite from the ground to an orbit around the earth with a rocket. In the figure, 1 is a rocket body, 2 is a fairing, 12a, 1
2b is a member constituting the fairing 2, 3 is a satellite main body,
14a and 14b are parabolic antenna members. 3A is a front view showing the rocket 1 in a state of waiting for launch on the ground, and FIG. 3B is a plan view of the fairing 2 and the outer shell of the rocket 1 cut away, and the fairing 2 and the upper portion of the rocket 1 are cut off. 3C is a conceptual front view in which the inside of the fairing 2 appears, and FIG.
a and 2b, and these fairing members 2a,
FIG. 3D is a front view conceptually showing a state in which the satellite body 3 is separated from the rocket 1, FIG. 3D is a diagram conceptually showing a state in which the satellite body 3 is separated from the rocket main body 1, and FIG. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the satellite which orbits the earth by expanding 14a and 14b.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides the following means.

[0008] is mounted on the distal end portion of the rocket is transported to the space from the ground by the thrust of the rocket, the artificial satellite other space vehicle which in said space is separated from the rocket navigating through space, said rocket By
The spacecraft from the atmosphere
Cut the fairing that protects the body of the line from the rocket.
Even after being separated, it is combined with the main body and the structure of the spacecraft
A spacecraft characterized by being used as part of a structure .

[0009] A deployment mechanism is provided for coupling the non-separable fairing and the main body, and separating and deploying the non-separable fairing into two or more parts after being separated from the rocket. A spacecraft as described above.

At least one of the non-separable fairings
The spacecraft as described above, wherein two antennas are mounted.

[0011] A plurality of the antennas are provided to constitute the non-separable fairing, and a plurality of the respective antennas are arranged on different fairing members among a plurality of fairing members which are separated from each other when deployed by the deployment mechanism. The spacecraft according to the above, wherein each is mounted.

The spacecraft according to the above, wherein the antenna is a parabolic antenna.

The space vehicle according to the above, wherein a plurality of solar cells are mounted on the non-separable fairing.

The spacecraft according to the above, wherein a sensor is attached to the non-separable fairing.

[0015]

According to the present invention, as described above, the spacecraft itself has the fairing. When the spacecraft is separated from the rocket by providing the fairing, the fairing is separated from the rocket integrally with the body of the spacecraft, and the spacecraft becomes one of the structural members of the spacecraft. Used in

For example, the spacecraft body and the fairing are connected in a deployed structure, and in space, the fairing is maintained in a form extending in all directions from the spacecraft, so that the fairing is used as a support structure member for the antenna. it can.

[0017]

The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following examples.

FIG. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of the present invention while navigating in outer space. FIG. 1 (a) shows a fairing divided into four members, and the four members are expanded in four directions. FIG. 3B is a plan view showing the state, and FIG. However, in FIG. 1B, the four-part fairing 2b is omitted. FIGS. 2A and 2B are views showing the satellite of the embodiment mounted on the rocket 1. FIG. 2A is a plan view, and FIG. 2B is a front view. However,
In FIG. 2B, the front side of the fairing 2 is cut away to show the internal structure of the fairing 2.

The fairing 2 is formed by combining four-part fairing members 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d, and is connected to the satellite main body 3 by an unfolded structure (not shown). The fairing 2 is a part of the structural member of the satellite. While the satellite body 3 is mounted on the rocket 1, the four-part fairings 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d
Are combined to form a space for accommodating the satellite main body 3 therein, and protect the satellite main body 3 from the atmospheric environment. In this respect, the function of the fairing 2 is not different from the conventional one shown in FIG. However, in the satellite of this embodiment, the satellite body 3
After the satellite is separated from the rocket body 1, the fairing 2 is not separated and remains connected to the satellite body 3 via the deployment structure, and after the satellite is in orbit around the earth, FIG. ) And (b), it is divided into four members and is expanded in all directions. Then, those four members, that is, the four-part fairing members 2a, 2b, 2c, 2
Antennas 4a and 4b are attached to 2a and 2c of d, respectively. 4-split fairing member 2
a and 2c function as a support structure for the antennas 4a and 4b.

In the embodiment described above, the fairing 2 functions as an antenna support structure. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, after the fairing 2 is simply used to protect the satellite main body 3 from the atmospheric environment, the fairing 2 is discarded into space, and a special support structure for the antennas 4a and 4b is provided. In comparison, by adopting the satellite structure of this embodiment,
The weight that can be carried to outer space by the rocket 1 can be significantly increased. As described above, in the present embodiment, the fairing 2 is effectively used, and the launchable weight of the rocket 1 is effectively used, so that, for example, the satellite main body 3 can be larger than the conventional one.

In the above embodiment, the antenna is mounted on the fairing. However, other various sensors and solar cells can be mounted on the fairing. By mounting the solar cell, the fairing is also used as a solar cell paddle.

[0022]

As described above in detail with reference to the embodiments, the present invention effectively increases the launch weight by effectively utilizing the fairing which has been used only at the time of launch as a structural member of the satellite. It is possible to do.
As a result, it is possible to increase the weight of the mission, mount a large amount of propellant, and extend the life of the satellite.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a satellite according to an embodiment of the present invention in a state where a fairing is deployed while traveling in outer space.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a state of being mounted on a rocket.

FIG. 3 A rocket, a fairing, and a rocket in a process of launching a conventional satellite from the ground with a rocket and transporting it to space
The conceptual diagram which shows the relationship with a satellite.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Rocket 2 Fairing 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d 4-split fairing member 3 Satellite body 4a, 4b Antenna 12a, 12b 2-split fairing member 14a, 14b Parabolic antenna member

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B64G 1/66 B64G 1/64

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. An artificial satellite or other space vehicle which is mounted on the tip of a rocket, is carried from the ground to outer space by the thrust of the rocket, is separated from the rocket in the outer space, and travels in outer space. When the rocket is transported through the atmosphere,
Fairing that protects the body of the spacecraft from air
Is connected to the main body even after disconnection from the rocket.
A spacecraft characterized by being used as a part of a spacecraft structure . And a deployment mechanism for coupling the non-separable fairing and the main body and separating and deploying the non-separable fairing into two or more parts after being separated from the rocket. The spacecraft according to claim 1, characterized in that: 3. A spacecraft according to claim 2, wherein at least one antenna is mounted on said non-separable fairing. 4. A non-separable fairing comprising a plurality of said antennas, wherein a plurality of said fairing members which are different from each other among a plurality of fairing members which are separated from each other when deployed by said deployment mechanism. The spacecraft according to claim 3, wherein each antenna is mounted. 5. A spacecraft according to claim 4, wherein said antenna is a parabolic antenna. 6. The space vehicle according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of solar cells are mounted on the non-separable fairing.