Earth-moon sailing ferry and operation method

Abstract

The earth-moon sailing ferryboat system comprises two or more ferryboat bodies which are connected through long-distance traction ropes and mutually bypass and rotate in the space, and at least one ferryboat body is a hanging station and is provided with a hanging mechanism capable of allowing other airships to be hung; the ferry system simultaneously runs for a long time in multiple cycles along a revolution orbit around the earth, the perigee of the revolution orbit is closer to the earth, the apogee is close to or slightly higher than the orbit of the moon, the ratio of the revolution cycle to the duration of the fixed star moon is equal to or approximately equal to a simple score less than 1, and the numerator and denominator of the score are respectively integers less than 10; the hanging station rotates around the mass center of the hanging station while revolving along with the ferry system, and when the ferry system is close to the earth or the moon, the airship can be close to the hanging station in the running tangential direction of the hanging station, and hanging is achieved through a hooking device or a hanging mechanism of the airship. When approaching the moon or the earth along with the revolution of the robot, the robot opens the hooking device or the hanging mechanism to be separated from hanging, and continuously tends to a preset position by utilizing the bypassing speed and direction close to the hanging device at the moment of separation and the power of the robot; a large amount of propellants for taking the airship can be saved, and the survival conditions of passengers are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This technology belongs to aerospace engineering technology. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, people have begun to consider conducting higher-level exploration and utilization of the moon. However, using existing rocket technology to deliver payloads to near-lunar space, decelerate, and conduct lunar orbiting flights, or take off and land on the lunar surface requires a large amount of propellant consumption by their jet engines, resulting in high costs. Now, space exploration has developed towards "space engineering" and "flight-like" directions. For large-scale lunar development, frequent close-range exploration and takeoff / landing are inevitable, and the problem of propellant consumption will become more prominent.

[0003] The purpose of this technology is to provide a new system and new technology to help spacecraft travel back and forth between the Earth and the Moon, making lunar-related space work more efficient and fuel-saving, and economically viable. Summary of the Invention

[0004] A lunar ferry system includes two or more ferry hulls connected by long-distance towing ropes and orbiting each other in space. At least one ferry hull is a docking station with a docking mechanism that can accommodate other spacecraft for docking. The ferry system operates in a multi-period long-term orbit around the Earth's revolution orbit. The perigee of this revolution orbit is close to the Earth, and the apogee is close to or slightly higher than the lunar orbit. The ratio of its revolution period to the sidereal month duration is equal to or approximately equal to a simple fraction less than 1, where the numerator and denominator of this fraction are integers less than 10.

[0005] The system should approach the moon once or more every one or every N sidereal months, where N can be a positive integer less than 10.

[0006] While the docking station revolves with the ferry system, it orbits around the centroid of the system. When the system approaches the Earth or the Moon, the spacecraft can approach the docking station along the tangential direction of the docking station's operation and use its hook-up device or docking mechanism to achieve docking. When approaching the Moon or the Earth during its revolution, the hook-up device or docking mechanism is opened to undock, and using the circumferential speed and direction similar to the docking device at the moment of undocking and its own power, it continues to move towards the predetermined position.

[0007] The ferry can also be called a ferry boat.

[0008] The ferry hull can be a spacecraft, a space station, a counterweight, or other spacecraft.

[0009] The ferry hull can be equipped with jet engines for adjusting the operation state of the hull or the ferry system.

[0010] The length of the towing rope between the ferry hulls of the ferry system is generally several kilometers to dozens of kilometers. The circumferential tangential speed of the towed hanging station is relatively high, which can exceed several hundred meters per second.

[0011] The specific hanging process of the spacecraft can be as follows: If the spacecraft needs to approach the moon, the ferry system has a relatively high speed near the perigee. The forward speed of the spacecraft before hanging is lower than that of the ferry system. It needs to be caught up by the ferry system coming from behind in front of the running direction, so that the spacecraft approaches the hanging station from the front along the circumferential tangent direction of the backward rotation of the hanging station and uses the hook connection device or hanging mechanism to hang on, and then starts to move backward in a circular motion, continuously rotating and gradually approaching the moon.

[0012] When hanging, in order to adapt to the rotational movement of the hanging station around the center of gravity of the ferry system, if necessary, the spacecraft can briefly start the jet engine to provide centripetal thrust and maintain the same centripetal motion as the hanging station before the hanging operation is completed.

[0013] The contact connection between the spacecraft and the hanging station needs to use a hook connection device or a hanging mechanism or a manipulator device. This device can be similar to the coupler at the end of a train car, such as a Janney coupler or a buffer device, or a hanging platform or a special joint, so as to touch and connect in the shortest possible time period and complete the hanging.

[0014] The hook connection device or the hanging mechanism can be an aircraft mooring platform or a hook or a ring or a clip or a clamp or a claw or an electromagnetic chuck or an interface or a connector, or a robotic arm or a boom.

[0015] When the ferry system reaches the appropriate position and the spacecraft rotates with the hanging station to the required instantaneous direction, the hanging station can open the hook connection device or the hanging mechanism to release the spacecraft, so that it moves at a different speed and direction from the ferry system and better enters the lunar exploration orbit.

[0016] Conversely, if the spacecraft needs to return from near the moon to near the earth, before hanging, its forward speed is faster than that of the ferry system. The spacecraft can be made to approach the hanging station from the rear along the circumferential tangent direction of the forward rotation of the hanging station and use the hook connection device or the hanging mechanism to hang on, and then start to move forward in a circular motion, continuously rotating and gradually approaching the earth;

[0017] If the traveling direction of the spacecraft is different from that of the ferry system before hanging, the spacecraft can be made to approach the hanging station from the side along the circumferential tangent direction of the rotation of the hanging station to the other side and use the hook connection device or the hanging mechanism to hang on, and then start to move forward in a circular motion.

[0018] When the docking station approaches the Earth and turns to the backward instantaneous direction, the docking station can open the hooking device or the docking mechanism to release the spaceship, enabling it to move forward at a speed slower than the revolution of the ferry system, which is conducive to its entry into a low orbit or return to the Earth. In this way, the spaceship returns a certain amount of momentum to the ferry system. The spaceship's round-trip operation with the help of the ferry system is conducive to the long-term stable revolution operation of the system.

[0019] The radiation environment in the Earth-Moon space is relatively harsh. The docking station can have a large space radiation shield that can accommodate the boarding spaceship inside the shield to avoid radiation.

[0020] The wall of the space radiation shield can be metallic or non-metallic, or contain heavy metals, or can accommodate liquid substances. The space radiation shield can have movable protective doors, with or without movable protective windows or transparent protective windows.

[0021] The ferry system can have a solar power generation device or a nuclear power generation device.

[0022] The ferry system can have a large life support device.

[0023] The rendezvous or separation of the boarding spaceship from the ferry system can occur before or after the ferry system reaches its orbital perigee or apogee, and can be at a location closer to or farther from the orbital perigee or apogee of the ferry system.

[0024] The orbital period of the ferry system can be about two-fifths of a sidereal month, or the orbital major axis can be about 0.543 of the lunar orbital major axis, and the apogee can be slightly higher than the lunar orbit.

[0025] The orbital period of the ferry system can be about one-third of a sidereal month, or the orbital major axis can be about 0.48 of the lunar orbital major axis, and the apogee can be slightly lower than the lunar orbit.

[0026] The orbital period of the ferry system can be about one-half of a sidereal month, or the orbital major axis can be about 0.63 of the lunar orbital major axis, and the apogee can be slightly higher than the lunar orbit.

[0027] The orbital period of the ferry system can be about two-thirds of a sidereal month, or the orbital major axis can be about 0.763 of the lunar orbital major axis, and the apogee is slightly higher than the lunar orbit.

[0028] When needed, multiple ferry systems can be arranged. Their orbital major axes point to different ecliptic longitudes, and their times of approaching the Earth and the Moon are also different, so that there are more choices for the boarding spaceship.

[0029] The present technology also includes an operation method for the Earth-Moon navigation ferry system, which includes: making the ratio of the orbital revolution period of the system to the sidereal month duration equal to or approximately equal to a simple fraction less than 1, where the numerator and denominator of the fraction are integers less than 10.

[0030] When necessary, the method may include: arranging the orbital period of the ferry system to be approximately two-fifths of a sidereal month, or approximately one-third of a sidereal month, or approximately one-half of a sidereal month, or approximately two-thirds of a sidereal month, or the apogee of the orbit is slightly lower or slightly higher than the lunar orbit.

[0031] When necessary, the method may include: arranging multiple ferry systems with their orbital major axes pointing to different ecliptic longitudes and their approaching times to the Earth and the Moon being different.

[0032] When using existing space technologies to launch a lunar probe spacecraft, it is necessary to first make the spacecraft enter a low-Earth orbit, then consume a large amount of propellant to accelerate towards the lunar orbit, and then consume propellant to decelerate to enter a lunar orbit or land on the lunar surface after approaching the Moon. The cost of multiple operations will be extremely high. With the ferry system of the present technology, it can approach the Earth and the Moon periodically and repeatedly without power for a long time. When the ferry system rotates backward, a spacecraft running at a low speed in a low orbit can be hooked by a docking station. When approaching the vicinity of the Moon, the spacecraft can be thrown into the lunar orbit or a lunar-orbiting orbit; or vice versa, the spacecraft can be brought near the Earth and thrown into a low-Earth orbit or returned to the Earth, saving a large amount of propellant that would otherwise be consumed when the spacecraft accelerates and decelerates. At the same time, during the process of carrying different spacecraft and making multiple round trips, the space mechanical energy of the ferry system can be maintained basically unchanged to ensure its long-term stable operation; in addition, with long-term stable and repeated operation, it is worthwhile to arrange relatively heavy radiation protection facilities and life support facilities for this system to improve the living conditions of the personnel inside the spacecraft. At the same time, the increased weight is beneficial to the stability of the system operation, forming a more energy-efficient, stable, safe and comfortable high-speed rail for the Earth-Moon flight. The present technology can bring about major changes and progress in lunar exploration power technology and navigation methods, and has outstanding technical effects. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0033] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the composition and operation of Embodiment 1 of the ferry system related to the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the system orbit of Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the system orbit of Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the system orbit of Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 5Schematic diagram of the radiation protection shield of the ferry system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0038] Wherein: 11 is the ferry hull; 12 is docking station A; 13 is docking station B; 14 is boarding spaceship A; 15 is boarding spaceship B; 16 is the separation direction of boarding spaceship A; 17 is the virtual position after boarding spaceship A separates; 18 is the separation direction of boarding spaceship B; 19 is the virtual position after boarding spaceship B separates; 20 is the towing rope; 21 is the movement direction of the ferry system; 22 is the gyration direction of each ferry hull of the system; 23 is the position of the centroid of the ferry system; 24 is the position of the Earth; 25 is the lunar orbit; 26 is the orbit of the ferry system around the Earth; 27 is the movement direction of the Moon; 28 is the movement direction of the ferry system; 51 is the radiation protection shield; 52 is the movable protection door; 53 is the opening direction of the movable protection door; 54 is the spaceship docking mechanism; 55 is the docking station docking mechanism; 56 is the opening position of the movable protection door; 57 is the docking station; 58 is the local part of the towing rope.

[0039] Specific implementation mode

[0040] The following is a specific description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Embodiment 1( Figure 1 、 Figure 2 、 Figure 5 ) is a Earth-Moon navigation ferry system, including 3 ferry hulls 11 connected by towing ropes 20 and orbiting each other in space. The 3 towing ropes are about 20 and 50 kilometers long respectively. Among them, 2 ferry hulls are docking station A 12 and docking station B 13 respectively, with docking mechanisms 55( Figure 5 ) that can be used for other boarding spaceships to dock, and can dock boarding spaceship A 14 or spaceship B 15; The revolution period of this ferry system around the Earth is 0.4 sidereal months. The major axis of this revolution orbit is about 0.543 of the major axis of the lunar orbit, with a relatively large eccentricity. The perigee is closer to the Earth, about 20,000 kilometers from the Earth's center. The apogee is close to or slightly higher than the lunar orbit. This ferry can approach the Moon once every two sidereal months. During this period, it orbits 5 times and approaches the Earth 5 times.

[0042] While revolving around the Earth, the docking station revolves around its centroid. Its tangential velocity is about several hundred meters per second, and the centripetal acceleration is less than 1G, and it revolves once in less than ten minutes. When this system approaches the Earth, the boarding spaceship on the low-Earth orbit needs to approach the docking station along the tangent direction of the docking station's operation, and use the power of its own engine to adjust its position so that its docking mechanism 54 is hooked to the docking station docking mechanism 55( Figure 5) To achieve docking. When the spacecraft approaches the moon during its revolution, when it reaches the appropriate position and the instantaneous direction required for the spacecraft to rotate with the docking station, it detaches from the docking station and moves in the speed and direction required to approach the moon. Then, it turns on its own engine for adjustment to better enter the lunar exploration orbit. Among them, the directions 15 and 16 and the time for spacecraft A14 and spacecraft B15 to detach from the docking station can be different or adjusted appropriately to enter different orbits for exploring the moon or to adapt to different positions of the moon that are slightly ahead or behind at that time.

[0043] Conversely, if the spacecraft needs to return to the earth from the lunar orbit by using a ferry, before docking, its forward speed is generally faster than that of the ferry system. It can make the spacecraft approach the docking station from the rear along the tangential direction of the forward rotation circle in front of the docking station and dock on it, and start to move in a circular motion forward, continuously rotating and gradually approaching the earth; when it turns to the instantaneous backward direction, the docking station releases the spacecraft, making it move forward at a speed slower than the revolution of the ferry system, and then using its own power for maneuvering to return to the earth. In this way, the spacecraft returns a certain amount of momentum or mechanical energy to the ferry system, which is beneficial to keeping the orbit of the system stable for a long time.

[0044] The hull of Embodiment 1 can also be a space station for long-term exploration of the earth and lunar space, and it is also equipped with jet engines for adjusting the revolution and rotation states of the hull and the ferry system.

[0045] Obviously, when operating in the outer space environment for a long time, the side effects of space radiation must be considered. The docking station of the ferry system in this embodiment also has a large space radiation protection shield 51 ( Figure 5 ) with a movable protection door 52 that can be opened and closed in the required direction 53; when the spacecraft needs to dock or undock, the movable protection door is in the open position 56 for the spacecraft to dock or undock; after the docking operation is completed, the movable protection door closes. The wall panels and protection doors of the space radiation protection shield can be made of relatively thick metallic lead or can have transparent protection windows containing heavy metal components, effectively isolating the impact of cosmic rays on the crew. Considering the artificial gravity generated by the rotation of the spacecraft with the docking station, it is more beneficial to the quality of life of the crew.

[0046] Embodiment 2 ( Figure 3 ) is a lunar-earth space ferry system similar to Embodiment 1, but its orbital period is one-third of a sidereal month, the major axis of the orbit is about 0.48 of the major axis of the lunar orbit, and the apogee is slightly lower than the lunar orbit. The advantage of this ferry is that it can approach the moon once every sidereal month, and the orbit is easier to maintain stable. During this period, it orbits 3 times and approaches the earth 3 times, which is beneficial to improving the transportation efficiency. The disadvantage is that the apogee is still tens of thousands of kilometers away from the moon, and the spacecraft needs to slide a longer distance when docking, which is instead beneficial to the flexibility of the navigation route.

[0047] Embodiment 3 ( Figure 4) It is also similar to Embodiment 1. The difference of this ferry system is that the orbital period is half a sidereal month, the major axis of the orbit is about 0.63 of the major axis of the lunar orbit, and the apogee is significantly higher than the lunar orbit. The advantage of this ferry is that it can approach and orbit the moon once every sidereal month, which is beneficial to operate lunar tourism on the ferry. It orbits the orbit 2 times per sidereal month and approaches the earth 2 times.

[0048] Embodiment 4 is multiple ferry systems similar to Embodiment 1. However, the apogees of the orbits of each system are in different ecliptic longitude directions, and the times of approaching the moon are also several days apart in sequence. Of course, the times of approaching the earth are also different. The orbital periods of these ferry systems can be the same or different. This can significantly improve the boarding efficiency of the entire ferry system and also provide more choices for taking the spaceship.

[0049] The above is an exemplary illustration and cannot be used to limit the scope of the rights of this technology.

Claims

1. A ferry system for Earth-Moon navigation, comprising two or more ferry bodies connected by long-distance pulling ropes and circling each other in space, wherein at least one ferry body is a docking station with a docking mechanism for other passenger spacecraft to dock; the ferry system simultaneously operates for a long time along a multi-period orbit around the Earth, the perigee of the orbit is relatively close to the Earth, the apogee is close to or slightly higher than the lunar orbit, and the ratio of its orbital period to the length of the sidereal month is equal to or approximately equal to a simple fraction less than 1, and the numerator and denominator of the fraction are integers less than 10 respectively; the docking station revolves around the center of mass of the system while the ferry system revolves, when the system approaches the Earth or the Moon, the passenger spacecraft can approach the docking station along the tangent direction of the docking station and dock with its hooking device or docking mechanism, and when it approaches the Moon or the Earth during its orbital operation, the hooking device or docking mechanism is opened to disengage from the docking, and the orbiting speed and direction close to that of the docking device and its own power at the moment of disengagement are used to continue to move toward a predetermined position.

2. The ferry system according to claim 1, wherein the docking mechanism is a docking stand or a special joint, or an aircraft mooring stand or a hook or a ring or a clamp or a card or a claw or an electromagnetic suction cup or an interface or a connector, or a mechanical arm or a boom.

3. The ferry system according to claim 1, wherein the docking station has a large space radiation shield that can accommodate spacecraft entering the interior of the shield, and has a movable shield door with or without movable shield windows or transparent shield windows.

4. The ferry system of claim 1, wherein the shuttle rendezvous with or detaches from the ferry system before or after the ferry system reaches its orbital perigee or apogee, or at a location closer to or farther from the ferry system's orbital perigee or apogee.

5. The ferry system according to claim 1, wherein the orbital period of the ferry system is about two-fifths of a sidereal month, or the major axis of the orbit is about 0.543 of the major axis of the lunar orbit, or the apogee is slightly higher than the lunar orbit.

6. The ferry system according to claim 1, wherein the orbital period of the ferry system is about one-third of a sidereal month, or the major axis of the orbit can be about 0.48 of the major axis of the lunar orbit, or the apogee can be slightly lower than the lunar orbit.

7. The ferry system according to claim 1, wherein the orbital period of the ferry system is about half a sidereal month, or the major axis of the orbit can be about 0.63 of the major axis of the lunar orbit, or the apogee can be slightly higher than the lunar orbit.

8. The ferry system according to claim 1, wherein the orbital period of the ferry system is about two-thirds of a sidereal month, or the major axis of the orbit is about 0.763 of the major axis of the lunar orbit, or the apogee is slightly higher than the lunar orbit.

9. The ferry system according to claim 1, wherein: Arrange multiple ferry systems with their orbital major axes pointing to different ecliptic longitudes and their approach times to the Earth and Moon also varying.

10. A method for operating the Earth-Moon ferry system according to claim 1, comprising: Let the ratio of the orbital period of the system to the length of the sidereal month be equal to or approximately equal to a simple fraction less than 1, with the numerator and denominator of the fraction being integers less than 10.

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