Wooden rocket for capturing space debris

Abstract

To enable making a rocket ultra-small-sized, a robot body light-weighted, a rocket manufacturing cost significant reduced, so as to facilitate capture of space debris.SOLUTION: An entire outer wall of a rocket body, including a fairing at a head of a space rocket, is made of wood. In order to use wood material for the entire outer wall of the rocket body, the wood material must be treated to be tougher in terms of heat resistance than conventional aluminum veneer. In an inner wall of the rocket body, all of inner wall surfaces are lined with fireproof fabric that can withstand fires up to 1700°C, or heat insulating fabric, and toughened wood technology is used to ensure that rocket inner wall will not have any problems with heat resistance until the rocket ascends and reaches outer space. Further, in order to reduce weight of the rocket, the wood materials to be used is to be selected from those having a low specific gravity, such as cedar or hinoki.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] Aluminum alloys are currently used in the structural parts of space rockets. In this invention, instead of metal, low-cost and yet tough wood (PTT wood) and cloth (PTT cloth) are used to reduce the weight of the entire structural part by using wood, and furthermore, the entire structural part is non-ignitable.

[0002] The basic technology of this invention is to minimize the manufacturing cost by making the rocket as small as possible. Also, to capture a large amount of space debris, a large number of rockets are required at the lowest cost, and it is possible to capture a large amount of debris frequently. By doing so, the weight of the rocket becomes even lighter than before, and the amount of captured debris can be increased because the rocket does not burn. Furthermore, by using toughened wood (PTT wood) and toughened cloth material (PTT cloth material) instead of metal in the structural parts of the outer and inner walls of the rocket body, this technology eliminates fires in the entire rocket. [Background technology]

[0003] If the manufacturing costs of space rockets could be significantly reduced, countries would likely become more serious about capturing space debris.

[0004] The fairing is located at the very front of the rocket, and serves to protect it from the loud noise, vibration, and heat from friction during launch. It also serves as a room for storing tools for capturing debris, such as ropes, magnets, and capture nets. To make it easier to capture debris, it is essential to have technology that prevents fires from starting inside the fairing. For this reason, PTT wood and PTT cloth materials are essential for the outer and inner walls of the fairing.

[0005] Debris refers to objects in atmospheric orbit that are no longer needed. These include satellites that have ceased operation, broken satellites, the upper stages of launch vehicles, parts released during missions, and fragments generated by explosions and collisions. There are various types of debris, such as burnt rocket fuel, but more than half of the debris is debris generated by explosions of spacecraft caused by fuel remaining in the satellite after its operation, or by collisions between pieces of debris.

[0006] Number and velocity of debris: Objects in atmospheric orbit are basically monitored by the United States Strategic Space Command, which catalogs all objects larger than about 10 cm in low orbit and larger than about 1 m in geostationary orbit. According to the catalog, 19,538 orbital objects have been observed as of 2019. There are 500,000 to 700,000 objects larger than 1 cm. It is estimated that there are more than 100 million objects larger than 1 mm. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The amount of debris is increasing day by day, and although there are reports that the United Nations, the United States, Europe, China, and other related organizations are considering some kind of countermeasure, there are still no reports that the amount of debris is being reduced appropriately. If things continue as they are, and satellite communications are completely destroyed tomorrow by a collision with debris, and the global communications system collapses, there is no way to predict what will happen to the Earth in the time it takes to restore it. Stakeholders from various countries say that it will be difficult to resolve this issue because the cost of rocket manufacturing is too high. The "problem that this invention aims to solve" is to quickly complete new technology to manufacture ultra-low-cost rockets suitable for capturing debris. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] It is true that the United Nations and various countries are researching debris capture, but there are few cases where new space rocket technology is being developed with the focus on debris capture. For the purpose of debris capture, it is more appropriate to solve the problem with a small rocket with extremely low manufacturing costs, which does not use heavy metal materials, and which uses new technology that uses toughened wood material (PTT wood) and toughened cloth material (PTT cloth material) that are non-ignitable and strong, and can withstand entry into space, rather than large or medium-sized expensive rockets.

[0009] There are no examples of successful, ultra-low-cost capture of debris, but instead, the debris is increasing every day and beginning to collide with each other.

[0010] If collisions between debris become more frequent, and in particular if many of the communication satellites that act as space relay stations are destroyed, communication systems around the world will stop working, causing chaos in communications around the world, and fourth and fifth generation mobile communications will also come to a halt, and it is entirely predictable that all communication and transportation technology will come to a halt.

[0011] If we lose the means of communication and all the advanced technology in the world stops, all the companies in the world will stop, and medical institutions, educational institutions, transportation institutions, financial institutions, and military institutions of each country will also lose control, and the possibility of the world returning to the pre-industrial revolution era is beginning to become a reality. Of course, 6th generation communication, the 7th generation communication beyond that, and high-speed communication will all remain a dream.

[0012] Number and velocity of debris: Objects in atmospheric orbit are basically monitored by the United States Strategic Space Command, which catalogs all objects larger than about 10 cm in low orbit and larger than about 1 m in geostationary orbit. According to the catalog, 19,538 orbital objects have been observed as of 2019. There are 500,000 to 700,000 objects larger than 1 cm. It is estimated that there are more than 100 million objects larger than 1 mm.

[0013] International conferences and rules surrounding debris: The United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space proposed the "Guidelines for Mitigating Space Debris" in 2007 to prevent the generation of debris. Based on these guidelines, the United Nations Agency for Space Affairs has created a Ministry of Justice committee on the development of international legislation and is currently discussing the issue.

[0014] Surveillance and Observation: Objects orbiting in space, including debris, are detected, tracked, cataloged, and identified by the "National Space Surveillance Network." Europe and other countries are also monitoring as part of their space situational awareness. In Japan, surveillance facilities are being strengthened at the Bisei Spaceguard Center and Kami-Saihara Spaceguard Center in Okayama Prefecture.

[0015] Protection: The rocket's exterior is fitted with protective material. Another thin metal plate is attached to the outside, and protects the outer wall by converting the impact energy of debris into thermal energy. The impact area will melt due to the heat and create a hole, but it can still protect against debris smaller than 1cm.

[0016] Removal and reduction: Due to the Kessler syndrome, it is also important to "reduce the amount of debris in the first place." This technology aims to remove large and gigantic objects as efficiently as possible, which are sources of debris caused by explosions and collisions in orbit. Research by Kessler and other researchers has shown that removing five high-risk objects per year can stabilize the orbital environment. There are four steps in low-orbit ADR technology: approach, motion estimation and capture, and orbit change. Approach is the technology of approaching debris. Unlike the International Space Station, debris is almost always an object that is not under our control. These are called non-cooperative objects, and these non-cooperative objects have no markers to grab or apply some kind of action, nor do they have laser reflectors to measure with a laser rangefinder whether they are approaching properly when approaching. Furthermore, uncontrolled objects often rotate due to disturbances received in space, so unless you observe the object and estimate what kind of movement it is making before approaching it carefully, you may be caught up in its movement and destroyed.

[0017] Capture: Once the movement is estimated and approach is made, there is the most risky process of capture. Various capture methods are being considered, such as stabbing the debris with a harpoon, using a robotic arm, attaching it with something like bird glue, or surrounding it with a net, but all of these are currently being demonstrated in orbit. Finally, the debris is either moved upward to an altitude of 2,000 km or more, called a disposal orbit, or moved downward to an orbit that will allow it to re-enter the atmosphere. In geostationary orbit, methods are being considered, such as using lasers to melt micro-debris or changing the orbit of debris. Artificial communication satellites, which are essential for modern daily life and economic activities, such as communication and GPS (Global Positioning System), are operated in "orbit" in space. As space development accelerates, the number of satellites and debris is increasing, and orbits are becoming more crowded.

[0018] To manufacture small rockets, ultra-low-cost materials are needed, not the metallic bodies used up until now. The materials we found for this purpose are wood and cloth. For example, the density of wood for softwood is 0.3g / cm3, and for hardwood it is 0.5 to 0.7g / cm3. For metals, aluminum composites with low specific gravity, such as cedar, are particularly effective in reducing the manufacturing costs of aluminum alloy rockets. By replacing metallic materials with non-ignition toughened wood (non-ignition wood) and non-ignition toughened cloth (non-ignition cloth), we can create lightweight space rockets (rockets).

[0019] A rocket re-entering the Earth's atmosphere enters the atmosphere at an extremely high speed of about 12 km per second, so the air in front of it is compressed before it has a chance to escape to the side, and the temperature of the entire surface of the rocket and debris exceeds about 10,000°C, and both the rocket and debris enter the Earth's atmosphere and burn easily within the atmosphere. This is the means of lightweight space rockets (rockets) that use non-ignition toughened wood (non-ignition wood) and non-ignition toughened cloth (non-ignition cloth).

[0020] The fireproof toughened wood (PRR wood) of claim 1 is infused with a chemical (boric acid + ammonium phosphate) that has been certified by the inventor Ito Hayao as fireproof wood by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (certification number: NM-1145). The thickness of the fireproof wood certified by the Minister is 10 mm, and the test time is 20 minutes, but the PRR wood for the rocket is doubled, achieving a fireproof time of 40 minutes. In other words, the thickness of the wood is doubled to 40 mm in order to extend the fireproof time for the rocket by more than twice. Incidentally, it takes about 10 minutes for a space rocket to reach space (about 100 km).

[0021] The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has been recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's smallest rocket with its mini rocket "SS-520 No. 5," which launched a microsatellite. It is the size of a utility pole, with a length of 9.54 meters and a diameter of 52 centimeters. It was praised for its ability to fly through space at a sufficient speed. The SS-520 has been used for space observation, but No. 5 has been improved so that it can carry satellites. It uses commercial parts, so launch costs are also low.

[0022] The space rocket of the present invention is smaller than any other rocket in the world, and therefore inexpensive, and because the structure is made of wood, it can be made cheaper than a metal one. Furthermore, by using toughened fabric material that is non-ignitable up to 2000°C throughout the structure, no fires will occur inside the structure. Effect of the Invention

[0023] As explained above, the key points of this invention are to make the rocket extremely compact to make the manufacturing cost extremely cheap, to reduce the weight by using wood material (PRR wood) and cloth material (PRR cloth material) without using metal in the structure, and to toughen the outer and inner walls of the rocket body at high temperatures up to 2000°C using the inventor's toughened wood technology, without igniting or burning. Therefore, the outer wall will not burn due to the air friction heat generated during the rocket's flight, internal heating can be prevented, and no gas is generated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] As stated in claims 1 to 7, it is not necessary to use aluminum alloy for the structure of the rocket body, and it is sufficient to use inexpensive wood. However, since it must be stronger than aluminum alloy and non-ignitable, PRR technology can be used.

[0025] Don't take too long to implement your invention. When will a communications satellite in space be completely destroyed by large debris? If it is destroyed and takes too long to be restored, there is a possibility that the Earth will revert to the pre-industrial revolution era, that is, the Edo period. [Industrial Applicability]

[0026] It is believed that all of the inventions described in the claims are industrially applicable and necessary.

Claims

1. Aluminum alloy is used in many parts of the structure. In this invention, toughened wood and fabric are used instead of metal to reduce the weight of the entire structure, reduce manufacturing costs, and make the entire structure non-ignitable.

2. The wood and cloth material of claim 1 is an invention in which specially treated, toughened wood that is non-igniting (Planet Rescue Rocket wood or PRR wood) and specially treated, toughened cloth material that is non-igniting (Planet Rescue Rocket cloth material or PRR cloth material).

3. The non-ignition of claim 2 means that PRR wood and PRR cloth do not ignite at altitudes of 80 to 800 km and at temperatures of 2000°C in the thermosphere of the outer space atmosphere.

4. The inventions of claims 1, 2, and 3 are, first, an invention in which the rocket is so small that it will not collide with or come into contact with space debris in the outer atmosphere where a lot of space debris flows, and is smaller than the SS-520 No. 5, which is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's smallest rocket, and second, an invention in which the rocket can transport one or several captured pieces of debris into the Earth's atmosphere for combustion processing, and the debris and rocket can be completely combusted.

5. The rocket's structural walls are made of two pieces of PRR wood (10 mm thick), with one piece of PRR cloth sandwiched between the inside of the PRR wood for the outer wall and the outside of the PRR wood for the inner wall and attached with a fire-retardant adhesive.This makes the rocket's structural walls semi-permanently non-ignitable, and also makes the machines and parts installed inside the rocket structure non-ignitable.

6. The manufacturing process of PRR wood is as follows: First, put the wood and chemicals in a tank, and mix the chemicals with water (H ２ The inventors decided to mix the agent (named NM-1703, approved by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) in a ratio of 7 parts boric acid (H ３ B.O. ３ ) is 26.3%, while ammonium phosphate (NH ４ ) ３ P.O. ４ ) is 73.7%, and the temperature is adjusted to 35°C in a water tank. The wood is injected with the chemical solution for two months without destroying the wood's cell membrane, and then the drying process begins. First, all the wood is removed from the water tank. Then, in order to dry it without destroying any of the cells, it is kept in a special wood dryer (bio-dryer) at 35°C for two months, during which 100% of the water is removed from the wood's cells. In other words, the moisture content of the PRR wood must become 0% without destroying any of the cell membranes.