RU2634608C2 - Scientific research space apparatus returned from earth orbit - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: aviation.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to spacecrafts (SC) for scientific research of physical phenomena and development of various systems and elements of a spacecraft in the satellite orbit and during descent in the atmosphere. The returned spacecraft contains a laboratory compartment (1) connected to the instrument compartment body (2), a frontal aerodynamic screen (3) of a segmentally conical shape and a braking motor installation (4). The screen (3) consists of a rigid central part (5) and a peripheral part in the form of a main inflatable braking device (6), covered externally by a flexible thermal protection. Test objects, for example heat protection samples can be asrranged on the rigid part (5). To reduce the landing speed, the RSC is equipped with an additional inflatable braking device (7) of toroidal form. The device (7) is connected to the compartment body (1) by a power conical shell of a fabric material with low gas permeability. It opens at subsonic flight speeds. In the transport position, the RSC has small dimensions due to the tight packing of the sealed shells of the braking devices.

EFFECT: expansion of the complex of scientific and technological problems solved by the returning research space apparatus both in orbit and during descent in the atmosphere.

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Description

The present invention relates to the field of space technology and relates to the device of a spacecraft for conducting scientific research of various physical phenomena and experimental testing in orbit of an artificial Earth satellite (AES) and during the descent in the atmosphere of various systems and elements of the designed spacecraft.

The invention is intended for implementation in the practice of designing spacecraft as a tool for the experimental development of various systems and elements in the real conditions of functioning of these systems and elements.

The creation of reliable space technology requires careful testing of all of its systems operating in space and high-speed motion in the atmosphere. A number of conditions, such as weightlessness, vacuum, atomic oxygen, vacuum ultraviolet, cosmic radiation, physicochemical processes in gases, accompanying the descent of the apparatus in the atmosphere, etc., cannot be reproduced or simulated in ground-based experimental installations as a whole.

In this regard, it is understandable the desire of space technology developers to carry out part of research work in natural conditions - in space and in the dense layers of the Earth's atmosphere.

An example of a flying laboratory conducting research in space is the manned international space station (ISS), which contains a sealed compartment for placing laboratory equipment and research objects, connected to the compartment and the systems located inside it, which ensure the functioning of the ISS in orbit, and scientific research is carried out only in space when the ISS moves in orbit. At the same time, the research results from the ISS to the Earth are delivered using the Soyuz landing vehicles or the Progress transport cargo ships [1, www.mcc.rsa.ru/mks.htm].

The described laboratory is a complex complex with limited capabilities and costly delivery of research results to the earth's surface.

Another type of laboratory flying and being returned from the satellite’s satellite’s orbit is Space Shuttle, which contains laboratory compartments with research objects and appropriate research equipment [2, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index. html].

However, the functionality of these systems is limited only by research conducted in space. In addition, it is a very expensive equipment.

To study the physical phenomena occurring during the flight phase in the atmosphere, the device must be able to function in the atmospheric portion of the flight under aerodynamic loads and thermal effects on the structure and equipment of the spacecraft.

A known project of a descent vehicle with inflatable brake devices [3, Aleksashkin S.N., Pichkhadze K.M., Finchenko B.C. Principles of designing vehicles descent in atmospheres of planets with inflatable brake devices. Bulletin of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "NPO named after SA Lavochkin", Volume 2 (13), 2012, p. 4-11]. The lander has a frontal aerodynamic screen of an inflatable structure containing a closed airtight shell or a series of shells forming a given shape when filling them with gas. This shell is docked with the object intended for descent in the atmosphere (payload).

This lander has limited capabilities because it explores physical phenomena that occur only during the flight phase of the lander in the atmosphere.

Known deployable brake device [4, RF patent No. 2528506, Alifanov OM, Budnik S.A., Netelev A.V. "Deployable braking device for descent into the atmosphere of planets"]. The deployable braking device consists of a hard frontal screen to which a flexible shell is attached, covered on the outside with a flexible heat-protective cover. Inside the flexible shell are sealed elastic torus shells.

The disadvantage of this brake device is the large relative mass of a single-stage aerodynamic braking system.

Also known is the project of the European Space Agency for the development of the EXPERT suborbital capsule, which is closest to the invention, containing a compartment with laboratory equipment and test objects located inside and outside this compartment, to conduct aerothermodynamic phenomena and processes accompanying high-speed movements in the Earth’s atmosphere the movement of devices in the atmosphere, the instrument compartment with systems that provide controlled descent of the capsule in the atmosphere, and the brake engine battening to [5, http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/EXPERT/SEMYRKQORVF0.html].

This research apparatus also has limited capabilities, since it studies the physical phenomena occurring during the flight phase in the capsule atmosphere with only certain aeroballistic characteristics.

To expand the range of flight modes is possible when using deployable aerodynamic surfaces. To return satellites with research laboratories from orbit, they are equipped with frontal aerodynamic screens that provide aerodynamic braking and protect the payload from dynamic and thermal loads. Obviously, frontal screens with a significant aerodynamic surface cannot be deployed deployed under the head fairing of launch vehicles, so they must be stacked in a compact volume during transportation and deployed to a working position when moving in outer space or atmosphere.

The present invention is an inexpensive, replicable scientific research spacecraft (NIKA), which performs the function of an orbital experimental base for studying the problems of designing and developing space technology, its systems and elements that cannot be verified in a ground-based experimental base, as well as for conducting scientific research various physical phenomena and experimental testing of various systems and elements of the designed spacecraft during descent in the atmosphere.

The technical result of the invention is to increase the functionality of space research vehicles by expanding the range of scientific research tasks, both in orbit and during descent in the atmosphere, while reducing the cost of research conducted during the experimental development of elements of spacecraft.

The claimed technical result is achieved by the fact that the research spacecraft returned from the orbit of an artificial Earth satellite contains a laboratory compartment with laboratory equipment and test objects placed inside it and on its outer surface, connected to the body of the instrument compartment that carries all the systems that ensure the functioning of the device on the satellite orbit during descent in the atmosphere, and the braking propulsion system, and according to the invention in the bow of the spacecraft a frontal aerodynamic screen is installed, consisting of a rigid central part and a peripheral part made in the form of a main inflatable brake device containing a sealed heat-resistant shell fixed along the circumferential edge of the rigid central part and which is a continuation of the conical surface of the screen, while the apparatus is equipped with an additional inflatable brake device, installed in the stern of the spacecraft, made in the form of a conical shell, which is a continuation of the conical surface of the frontal screen with a connection along the peripheral edge of the main inflatable brake device.

The claimed technical result is also achieved by the fact that the main inflatable brake device is made in the form of a set of sealed torus shells covered by a power shell made in the form of a cover, the edges of which are fixed along the circumferential edge of the hard part of the frontal aerodynamic screen and around the cylindrical part of the laboratory compartment housing, On the outer surface of the frontal aerodynamic screen, a flexible thermal protection system is made, made in the form of a cover covering sealed torus shells glasses and structural envelope, and a cylindrical portion laboratory compartment housing fixed circumferentially.

The claimed technical result is also achieved by the fact that the additional inflatable brake device is made in the form of a sealed torus shell connected to the instrument container by means of a conical shaped shell made of fabric material with a slightly gas permeable surface.

The listed set of features ensures the transformation of the shape of the orbital spacecraft into the shape of a descent vehicle by including in the NIKA a frontal aerodynamic screen with an inflatable braking device (NTU) that unfolds in space. In the transport position, the proposed SA with NTU takes up quite a bit of space in the dowry for its placement due to the tight packing of the hermetic NTU shells in a compact volume.

Using NIKA as an orbital experimental base will solve a wide range of research problems:

- biomedical research on living organisms;

- study of processes for growing powders and crystals of various minerals;

- study of the resistance of electronics to absorbed doses of ionizing radiation;

- experimental determination of the degree of degradation of solar cells;

- study of the dynamics and development of the disclosed systems of the designed spacecraft (rods, manipulators, inflatable frames of antennas, solar panels and sails, NTU descent vehicles, etc.);

- radiation monitoring of near-Earth outer space;

- remote sensing of interested areas of the Earth;

- aiming and dumping on the territory of a given range of experimentally practiced SA of various shapes and systems for ensuring their soft landing (alternative to missile testing).

The research spacecraft returned from near-Earth orbit contains a laboratory compartment (1) connected to the instrument compartment housing (2), a frontal aerodynamic shield (LAE) (3), and a braking propulsion system (TDU) (4). The compartment (1) is designed to accommodate laboratory equipment and test objects both inside the compartment and on its outer surface. In the instrument compartment (2), all systems are located that ensure the functioning of the NIKA in the satellite’s orbit: navigation, power, thermal management, collection and transmission of telemetric information (TMI), control, correction and stabilization of the position of the device in orbit and in space. A segmented-conical aerodynamic screen (3) is attached to the free end part of the compartment (1) and consists of a rigid central part (5) and a peripheral part in the form of an inflatable brake device (6), which is a continuation of the conical surface of the LAE. The rigid part (5) of the LAE serves both for attaching NTU (6) to it, and for placing test objects on it, for example, thermal protection samples. In the aft part of NIKA on the compartment (2) is fixed TDU (4). To ensure a given landing speed, the research spacecraft is also equipped with an additional braking device (DNTU) (7).

NTU can be composed of rows of sealed torus elements (8) located inside the cover of a flexible power shell (9), reinforced with a set of tapes and in the central part connected to the rigid part of the windshield. The power shell is externally coated with a flexible heat-shielding cover (10). The power sheath is secured to the body in the bottom of the SA on the laboratory compartment by directly attaching it to the frame (11), and the flexible thermal protection system cover using power strips (12), fixed with a ring (13).

The invention is illustrated by drawings:

in FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a NIKA with an inflatable brake device in a folded position in a compact volume when the device is under the head fairing of the launch vehicle at launch and during orbital flight before entering the atmosphere;

in FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a NIKA with an inflatable brake device in an unfolded (working) form during aerodynamic braking in the atmosphere;

in FIG. Figure 3 shows a view of NIKA on the pre-landing flight section when an additional inflatable brake device is introduced in the deployed (working) position for additional braking.

The research spacecraft is operated as follows.

Before starting NIKA, laboratory equipment and test objects are installed in its laboratory compartment (1) and / or on its external surface using various kinds of fasteners. With small dimensions (the diameter when the NTU (6) is laid in a compact volume of about 2 m, length up to 2.5 m), it is supposed to launch NIKA into the satellite’s orbit as a passing load when the spacecraft launches medium-range missiles. For placement under the NIKA head fairing, an appropriate adapter is used, and NTU (6) of the LAE is in the stowed position.

After the NIKA is put into a given satellite orbit, the work of all systems of the instrument compartment (2), which ensure the functioning of the NIKA in the satellite’s orbit, is activated. Further, in accordance with the program of experiments, the corresponding experiments and studies are carried out.

After performing studies in orbit, NIKA prepares for its descent from orbit, entry into the atmosphere and descent into the atmosphere. The descent from orbit is ensured by the issuance of the TDU (4) of the braking impulse in the direction opposite to the movement of the device. Then the spacecraft with the help of the TDU is deployed to the forward position by the compartment (1). At the same time (or with some delay to achieve the indicated orientation of the NIKA), by applying gas to the NTU cavity (6), the frontal aerodynamic screen (3) is deployed to the working position.

After supplying gas to the cavity of the inflatable brake device, its shell is expanded and takes the required aerodynamic shape. As a result, a rather rigid form of the main inflatable brake device is formed, operating on the descent section from outer space to enter the atmosphere and move in it with hypersonic and supersonic speeds.

Then an additional inflatable brake device is deployed, which is opened when the subsonic speed of movement is reached before landing, by supplying gas to its airtight cavities.

The diameter of the LAE (3) is chosen so that it provides a lowering speed of the NIKA descent to a level lower than the sound when an additional inflatable brake device (7) is activated, the transverse size of which is selected to ensure a given speed of NIKA contact with the earth's surface.

During descent in the atmosphere, the following research tasks can be carried out:

- testing, calibration and testing of various sensors placed in the laboratory compartment of NIKA and fixing the parameters of the dynamics of SA during descents in the atmosphere;

- testing the effectiveness of thermal protection of various designs, samples of which can be built into the overall thermal protection of the rigid part of the LAE;

- research and classification by types of living organisms that can be brought to the surface of the Earth by meteorites and the remains of small asteroids with strains of these organisms embedded in their structure. Studies are conducted on rock samples saturated with organisms of the selected species and built into the overall thermal protection of the hard part of the LAE NIKA;

- Obtaining information about heating and carrying away the mass of thermal protection in real conditions that are not reproducible by the facilities of the existing ground-based experimental base, for descent conditions, to verify the theoretical calculation methods used in the design of thermal protective systems for SAs of various shapes. This is achieved by installing appropriate temperature indicators in the thickness of the standard thermal protection of the LAE NIKA or test samples from other materials;

- instrumental study of the processes of physicochemical transformations (dissociation, ionization, recombination, etc.) in a compressed high-temperature layer near the surface of the LAE NIKA;

- instrumental study of the modes of (turbulent, laminar) flow in the boundary layer on the surface of the NIKA LAE and the transition point from one regime to another.

Thus, the proposed NIKA provides the opportunity to conduct various scientific research during orbital flight, to develop a number of systems, instruments, elements and components of the designed spacecraft, to verify the results of theoretical calculations of various parameters of the impact of space factors and high-temperature gas flow during aerodynamic braking of the device.

Claims (3)

1. A scientific research spacecraft returned from the orbit of an artificial Earth satellite, containing a laboratory compartment with laboratory equipment and test objects placed inside it and on its outer surface, connected to the body of the instrument compartment carrying all systems that support the operation of the satellite in orbit and descent in the atmosphere, as well as a braking propulsion system, characterized in that a frontal aerodynamic screen is installed in the nose of the spacecraft, consisting of from the rigid central part and the peripheral part, made in the form of a main inflatable brake device containing a sealed heat-resistant shell, fixed along the circumferential edge of the rigid central part and which is a continuation of the conical surface of the screen, while the apparatus is equipped with an additional inflatable brake device installed in the aft part of the space apparatus and made in the form of a conical shell, which is a continuation of the conical surface of the frontal screen, with a connection along the circumferential the edge of the main inflatable brake device. 2. The scientific research spacecraft returned from the orbit of an artificial Earth satellite according to claim 1, characterized in that the main inflatable brake device is made in the form of a set of sealed torus shells, covered by a power shell made in the form of a cover, the edges of which are fixed along the circumferential edge the rigid part of the frontal aerodynamic screen and the circumference of the cylindrical part of the body of the laboratory compartment, and on the outer surface of the frontal aerodynamic screen a flexible thermal protection system is laid s formed as a cover covering the hermetic shell torus and structural envelope, and a cylindrical portion laboratory compartment housing fixed circumferentially. 3. The scientific research spacecraft returned from the orbit of the artificial Earth satellite according to claim 1, characterized in that the additional inflatable brake device is made in the form of a sealed torus shell connected to the instrument container by means of a conical shaped shell made of fabric material with low gas permeability surface.

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