Soft Capture, Protection, and Landing of Spacecraft by VTOL Aircraft

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for softly capturing, protecting, and landing a spacecraft returning from space using a VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft including drones and helicopters. The spacecraft is decelerated by a parachute. One or more VTOL drones transport a waterproof pocket that catches and captures the descending spacecraft in the air. In this way, the spacecraft is protected inside the pocket and, after continuing to descend, makes a soft landing in a body of water. In another embodiment, a recovery helicopter, which is a type of VTOL aircraft with heavy-lift capabilities, is used to directly catch the returning spacecraft. One or more VTOL drones are attached to the lower end of a recovery cable suspended from the helicopter. These drones carry a clutch that directly, quickly, and accurately catches the descending spacecraft without interfering with the parachute. In this way, the spacecraft is caught and protected by the helicopter while maintaining the floating function of the parachute.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001] [Cross - Reference to Related Applications] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 440,428, filed on January 22, 2023, with the title "SOFT CAPTURE, PRESERVING AND LANDING OF SPACE VEHICLES", and the benefit of U.S. Non - Provisional Patent Application No. 18 / 207,649, filed on June 8, 2023, with the title " VTOL AIRCRAFT-CONDUCTED SOFT CAPTURE, PRESERVING AND LANDING OF SPACECRAFTS ".

[0002] [Field of the Invention] The present invention generally relates to the recovery of space vehicles. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method for using a VTOL (vertical take - off and landing) aircraft to softly capture a space vehicle returning from space, protect the space vehicle from damage, and softly land the space vehicle on water. The space vehicle may be the first stage, second stage, or other stages of a rocket or other space vehicle, or parts thereof.

[0003] [Background of the Invention] There is an increasing demand to explore and utilize outer space. However, launching a space vehicle to send a satellite, human, or other payload into space is extremely costly. The main reasons include the complexity in manufacturing rockets and other space vehicles. One efficient way to reduce costs is to reuse these rockets or other space vehicles.

[0004] NASA was able to reuse the space shuttle by flying it back for reentry. However, it was costly and time-consuming to repair the returned space shuttle for later flights. Therefore, NASA retired these space shuttles. U.S. Patent No. 8,678,321 discloses a method of recovering a first-stage rocket equipped with a propulsion agent and guidance hardware and landing the rocket at a designated location. Subsequently, Blue Origin and SpaceX successfully landed the first-stage rocket by re-igniting the engine using the fuel reserved for decelerating the rocket, and guiding the landing to the designated location using vectored engines, nitrogen gas or other fluid puffs, and grid fins. In this powered landing, a large amount of fuel is consumed, resulting in a dramatic reduction in the launch payload. For example, the payload capacity of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is 22.8 tons for a normal launch into low Earth orbit (LEO) and 8.30 tons for a normal launch into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). However, if the first-stage rocket lands powerfully and is reused, a loss of approximately 30% of the normal payload will occur. When powering the rocket to re-land at the launch site, an even greater payload loss of up to about 50% occurs. The method of unpowered landing using a parachute can save fuel for combustion during entry and landing, and increase the launch payload. Parachute landing has been a successful and commonly used method for the landing of crew and cargo capsules on land and at sea. This is mainly because the lengths of these capsules are usually small. On the other hand, the length of a rocket is usually very large. For example, the first stage of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is cylindrical with a diameter of only 3.66 meters and a length of 70 meters. Landing such a long, heavy, and delicate device on land or other hard surfaces (such as a ship's deck) using a parachute is extremely difficult. The sea and other bodies of water serve as good cushions for soft landings.However, water and salt can cause serious damage to engines, especially liquid fuel engines. U.S. Patent No. 4,961,550, U.S. Patent No. 5,328,132, and U.S. Patent No. 11,305,895B1 disclose complex devices attached to rockets to protect the engine from damage by water and salt. Due to the complexity of these devices, subsequent repairs are difficult. Also, attaching them to the rocket adds extra weight for launch. Furthermore, these mounted devices should be exposed to high heat during launch and landing. An air recovery method using a helicopter to catch a rocket decelerated by a parachute is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2006 / 0049316A1 and U.S. Patent No. 6,824,102B2. A similar method has been attempted by Rocket Lab. A trailing cable extends from a parachute or parafoil canopy by a small drogue parachute. A hook is attached to the lower end of a recovery cable suspended from a helicopter. The hook catches on the trailing cable following the drogue parachute. Thus, by connecting the recovery cable and the trailing cable, the helicopter captures the rocket or other spacecraft. By this capture, the parachute collapses and the entire weight of the rocket is borne by the helicopter that is floating. This air recovery method is very difficult. This is because the time to successfully make the capture is very short, only a few minutes, and the lifting capacity of the helicopter is also limited.

[0005] Summary of the Invention Rockets and other spacecraft are very expensive. Therefore, in order to reduce costs, it is desirable to reuse these spacecraft. The present invention discloses a system and method for softly capturing, protecting, and landing a spacecraft for later reuse using a VTOL aircraft (including drones and helicopters). The returning spacecraft is decelerated by one or more parachutes in order to land safely. This unpowered deceleration using a parachute can dramatically increase the launch payload. However, the attitude and descent trajectory of the spacecraft cannot be controlled by passive landing using a parachute. Landing very low-profile capsules in grasslands and deserts has been successful many times. On the other hand, adjusting the attitude of a tall and slender rocket on a hard surface is very difficult. The rocket will fall over if it tilts even slightly. As a result, in the case of land, a ship's deck, or other hard surfaces, the rocket may suffer catastrophic damage. Therefore, the present invention uses a method of landing the spacecraft on the sea or other bodies of water. To protect the spacecraft from water and salt damage, a strong, waterproof pocket is used to protect the spacecraft. This pocket is made of a flexible and strong material that is waterproof, airtight, and heat-resistant. The material can be, for example, plastic, rubber, carbon fiber, or other materials, or any combination of such materials. The pocket has a large open mouth for capturing the spacecraft and a closed bottom for holding the spacecraft inside. The pocket according to one embodiment can be in the shape of a funnel, having a conical open mouth and a cylindrical closed bottom for capturing a cylindrical rocket. This pocket is carried by a VTOL transport drone and catches the returning rocket in the air. The drone is equipped with a GPS and / or other telemetry system and / or a camera. Guided by the position information of the drone and the position information of the returning rocket, the drone flies with the pocket to meet the returning rocket and captures the rocket from its bottom to its top.The rocket protected in the pocket continues to descend together with the parachute and softly lands in the sea or other water area. In this embodiment, there is an airbag at the mouth of the pocket, and the airbag is filled with a gas lighter than air (for example, helium). By this airbag, the mouth of the pocket can be kept above the sea or other water area, preventing water from entering the pocket. Thus, the rocket is protected. In addition to the funnel shape, pockets of other shapes can also be used to separate the returning spacecraft from contact with water and achieve a soft landing. In addition to drones and other aircraft, ships or other navigation vehicles can also be used to carry the pocket for catching the returning spacecraft. To protect the pocket from the heat remaining in the engine and the damage caused by the heat generated by the high-speed entry into the atmosphere, one or more VTOL protection drones holding water tanks can be used to spray water to cool the body and other parts of the returning rocket or other spacecraft. A protective cage can be attached to the bottom of the pocket or the rocket to protect the liquid engine from the impact caused by the contact during landing in the sea or other water area. After catching the returning spacecraft, the transport drone releases the pocket, and the spacecraft protected in the pocket continues to descend vertically and softly lands (waters) in the sea or other water area.

[0006] In another embodiment, after the spacecraft is decelerated by the parachute, a recovery helicopter, which is a type of VTOL aircraft with a high payload capacity, is used to catch the spacecraft. A recovery cable for directly catching the spacecraft without interfering with the parachute is suspended from the helicopter. Thus, the function of the parachute is maintained. When the helicopter flies forward, the parachute remains inflated and maintains the lift force for the spacecraft. One or more VTOL connection drones are used to connect the recovery cable and the spacecraft in order to catch the rocket quickly and accurately within a short time frame using the helicopter.

[0007] 〔Brief Description of the Multiple Figures of the Drawings〕 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pocket for receiving a spacecraft. The spacecraft suitable for the pocket according to this embodiment is the first stage or other stages of an elliptical cylinder-shaped rocket.

[0008] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the pocket of Figure 1 being carried by a VTOL transport drone to capture a descending rocket with a parachute.

[0009] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the pocket of Figure 1 holding the captured rocket that has landed in the sea or other water area inside.

[0010] Figure 4 is another embodiment of the pocket for capturing a descending rocket over a water area.

[0011] Figure 5A is the VTOL transport drone shown in Figure 2 for carrying the pockets shown in Figures 1 and 4.

[0012] Figure 5B is a VTOL protection drone equipped with a tank for holding water or other protection fluid for spraying and protecting a descending spacecraft.

[0013] Figure 6A is a perspective view of a protective cage attached to the bottom of the pocket.

[0014] Figure 6B is a cross-sectional view of the pocket showing the protective cage of Figure 6A attached to the bottom of the pocket while the rocket captured in the pocket approaches the protective cage.

[0015] Figure 6C shows a rocket captured inside the pocket of Figure 6B sitting on the protective cage without touching the bottom of the pocket.

[0016] Figure 7A is another embodiment of a protective cage having a plurality of joints for attachment to a rocket.

[0017] Figure 7B shows the protective cage of Figure 7A attached to the rocket in its original upper position in the launch mode. The upper figure is a perspective view, and the lower figure is a bottom view.

[0018] Figure 7C shows the protective cage of Figure 7B being pushed down to its lower position in the landing mode.

[0019] Figure 8A shows an embodiment of a small pocket having an inner layer of water-reactive material at the time of capturing a returning rocket.

[0020] Figure 8B is a cross-sectional view of the pocket of Figure 8A that holds the captured rocket seated on the protective cage. The water-reactive material has changed to a foam and an adhesive substance, preventing water from entering the pocket.

[0021] Figure 9A shows another embodiment of a pocket (lower figure) with a protective cage inside, which is captured by a rocket (upper figure) having a plurality of clutches in the open mode.

[0022] Figure 9B shows the pocket and the protective cage of Figure 9A that are caught and locked by a plurality of clutches of the rocket.

[0023] Figure 9C is a cross-sectional view of the pocket and the protective cage of Figure 9A.

[0024] Figure 10 shows a VTOL recovery helicopter that captures a rocket decelerated by a parachute using a VTOL connection drone coupled to the lower end of a recovery cable suspended from the VTOL recovery helicopter while maintaining the function of the parachute, by a trailing cable extending from the rocket.

[0025] Figure 11 shows the procedure of catching the rocket by a trailing cable from the rocket guided by a small drog chute using the connection drone of Figure 10 and this drone at the bottom of the recovery cable suspended from the helicopter.

[0026] Figure 12 shows a VTOL recovery helicopter that directly captures a rocket decelerated by a parachute on the rocket's airframe using a VTOL connection drone coupled to the lower end of a recovery cable suspended from the VTOL recovery helicopter while maintaining the function of the parachute.

[0027] Figure 13 is a diagram showing the connection drone of Figure 12 and the procedure for directly catching the top of the rocket airframe using this drone at the bottom of the recovery cable suspended from the helicopter.

[0028] 〔Detailed Description of the Invention〕 Before the launch of the spacecraft, the orbit of the spacecraft is calculated. One or more recovery ships wait in the planned landing area on the sea or other waters. Also, a recovery helicopter may wait in the planned landing area. After the launch, the first stage of the rocket is usually separated from the other stages in low Earth orbit and begins to fall towards the Earth. The other stages may begin their return to Earth after delivering the payload. These first or other stages of the rocket or other spacecraft descend towards the Earth under gravity, increasing their speed. The returning rocket can adjust its attitude and re-ignite to empty the remaining fuel for a later safe landing. This re-ignition combustion causes some deceleration. One or more parachutes are deployed to decelerate the returning rocket or other spacecraft. These parachutes are designed according to the weight and shape of the spacecraft for a safe soft landing. The decelerated rocket or other spacecraft is equipped with a GPS and / or other telemetry system that continuously reports its positioning. In an advantageous embodiment, a group of VTOL transport drones waits on a recovery ship or other recovery vehicle in the landing area. The transport drones fly with pockets while being guided by a GPS and / or other telemetry system and / or a camera, and capture the returning spacecraft. The pocket has an open mouth and a closed bottom with a shape that harmonizes with the spacecraft. The pocket is made of a flexible and strong material. The material is plastic, rubber, carbon fiber, or other materials, or a combination of these materials. The pocket is soft to make soft contact with the spacecraft. The pocket is strong to hold the spacecraft. Also, the pocket has water impermeability, airtightness, and heat resistance.

[0029] Figure 1 is an embodiment of a funnel-shaped pocket for capturing a returning rocket (Figure 2). Pocket 100 has an open mouth 101 and is adapted to take in the rocket. The conical portion 103 causes the rocket to slide down into the cylindrical portion 102 having a closed bottom 106. The inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 102 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the rocket. Thus, the rocket is tightly wrapped and protected by the pocket portion 102. Also, this pocket 100 has an airbag 104 at the mouth. More airbags can be attached to the pocket for floating cushions and other purposes of protecting the rocket or other spacecraft. Pocket 100 can be carried by a drone using some cables 105 (Figure 2).

[0030] Figure 2 shows the procedure by which rocket 200 is captured by pocket 100. Rocket 200 is descending while being decelerated by parachute 201. Rocket 200 is equipped with GPS and / or other telemetry systems. Its position is continuously transmitted and received by VTOL transport drone 500. Drone 500 carries pocket 100 by cable 105, meets the returning rocket 200, and captures it from bottom to top. Then, rocket 200 is wrapped and protected inside pocket 100. The rocket continues to descend and splash-lands in the sea 301 or other body of water (Figure 3). The airbag 104 filled with helium or other types of air keeps the mouth 101 of pocket 100 floating above the sea 301. Thus, water is prevented from entering pocket 100 and damaging rocket 200.

[0031] Figure 4 shows a pocket 400 according to another embodiment, having a mouth 401 and a bottom 402 of equal size. The closed bottom 402 provides a platform for the soft landing of the rocket 200 on the sea 403 or other water area. The airbag 404 enables the pocket 400 to float on the water area 403. When the rocket 200 contacts the bottom 402 of the pocket 400, the nozzle 202 puffs nitrogen or other fluid to adjust the direction in which the rocket 200 lies on the bottom 402. The pocket 400 is carried by a cable 405 by a drone or a ship, or other flying vehicle or marine vehicle while receiving the guidance of GPS and / or other positioning systems, and / or cameras, so as to meet the rocket 200.

[0032] Figure 5A shows a VTOL transport drone 500 fixing a cable 105 (or cable 405) via a clutch 502 to carry a pocket 100 or pocket 400, or a pocket of other embodiments. After carrying the pocket and rendezvousing with the rocket for protection, the clutch 502 can be released to free the pocket. The rocket protected by the pocket continues to descend and can make a soft landing on the sea or other water area. A GPS system 506 and a camera 503 are equipped on the drone 500 to guide the rendezvous between the pocket and the rocket or other spacecraft. Portion 501 is an example of the leg of the drone 500. Portion 504 is an example of a motor, and portion 505 is an example of a blade.

[0033] When a re-entry spacecraft enters the atmosphere at high speed, high heat of up to thousands of degrees Celsius is generated by the compressed air. Another embodiment of a VTOL protection drone 510 for protecting a pocket from the heat damage of a returning rocket is shown in FIG. 5B. This drone is equipped with a tank 511 for holding water or other protective fluids. The controlled nozzle 512 can control the spraying of water onto the body (hull) and other parts of the returning rocket to cool them without causing damage. The drone is guided by its GPS 516 and camera system 513 to fly towards the rocket and spray water to cool the rocket before the rocket contacts the pocket 100, pocket 400, or a pocket according to other embodiments. Part 514 is an example of a motor, and part 515 is an example of a blade. The engines of rockets heated by re-entry into the atmosphere can crack and be damaged by a sudden uncontrolled fall and submersion into a large body of water. On the other hand, the controlled spraying of water by drone 510 cools the rocket without damaging these engines.

[0034] To protect a rocket engine, particularly a liquid fuel engine, from the physical impact that can occur when it contacts a pocket and lands in the water, a protective cage is fixed to the bottom of the pocket. FIG. 6A shows a protective cage 600 according to an embodiment fixed to the bottom of a pocket. The protective cage 600 has a top ring 601 and a bottom ring 604. The top ring 601 and the bottom ring 604 have an outer diameter that is the same as or slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the rocket's hull. The protective cage 600 has a connecting bar 602 that connects the ring 601 and the ring 604. A protective frame 603 is connected to the bottom ring 604. As similarly shown in FIG. 2, the rocket 210 slides down the cylindrical portion 102 of the pocket. FIG. 6B shows the rocket 210 approaching the bottom 106 of the pocket. Here, the protective cage 600 is fixed to the bottom 106 of the pocket. FIG. 6C shows the final position where the rocket 210 seats on the protective cage 600 without the engine 211 contacting the pocket.

[0035] Figure 7A shows another embodiment of the protective cage 610. The protective cage 610 has a top ring 611 and a bottom ring 614. The inner diameters of the top ring 611 and the bottom ring 614 are slightly larger than the outer diameter of the rocket. The bar 612 connects 611 and 614. A bottom protection frame 613 is connected to the bottom ring 614. The protection frame 613 can prevent the engine 221 of the rocket 220 from directly contacting the pocket, and as a result, can prevent the impact of water entry into the sea or another water area. As shown in Figure 7B, a plurality of joints 615 are used to connect the cage 610 to the rocket 220. The upper figure of Figure 7B shows the cage 610 in its original position in the rocket launch mode. The cage 610 is connected to the rocket 220 by a plurality of joints 615 to the inner portions 616 of a plurality of pushers. The outer portions 617 of the plurality of pushers are fixed to the rocket 220 by a plurality of joints 618. The lower figure of Figure 7B is a bottom view of the rocket 220 and the cage 610. The protection frame 613 of the cage 610 is seated between a plurality of engines 221. As shown in Figure 7C, in the landing mode of the rocket 220, the cage 610, together with its protection frame 613, is pushed down by the inner portions 616 of a plurality of pushers. In this way, the bottom protection frame 613 prevents the engine 221 from directly contacting the pocket, and prevents the impact of water entry into the sea or other water areas. The plurality of pushers are actuated hydraulically or electrically.

[0036] The pocket 100 can successfully capture and protect the entire rocket. The most complex and delicate part of the rocket is the engine. The nozzle of the engine is shown as part 211 in FIG. 6 and part 221 in FIG. 7. FIG. 8 shows a small pocket 110 for protecting the engine 211 in particular. In this embodiment, the mouth portion 111 and the conical portion 113 have a smaller diameter than the corresponding portions 101 and 103 of the pocket 100, and the cylindrical portion 112 has a shorter height than the corresponding portion 102 in the pocket 100. As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 8B, a protective cage 620 similar to 600 (FIG. 6) is attached to the bottom of the pocket 110. The protective cage 620 has a top ring 621 and a bottom ring 624, a connecting bar 622 connecting them, and a protective frame 623 connected to the bottom ring 624, so that the sea or other water entering the pocket 110 does not damage the engine 211. toTo this end, as the inner layer of the pocket 110, a layer 115 (including 115a, 115b, and 115c shown in FIG. 8B) is fixed. The portion 115 is made of a material that automatically adheres and foams when in contact with water. This is the mechanism that was first used in the fuel tanks of airplanes during World War II. When the fuel tank was hit by a bullet, the leaked fuel reacted with the material, causing the material to expand and seal the leak. FIG. 8A shows the portion 115a before the rocket 210 is captured. When the rocket 210 is captured within the pocket 110 (FIG. 8B), the protection drone 510 (FIG. 5B) sprays water to turn 115a into an adhesive foam, and as shown in FIG. 8B, the rocket 210 is wrapped. After the rocket 210 lands in the water area together with the pocket 110, if there is a water leak passing through 115a, the inner portion 115b further expands to form a foam and adheres to the fuselage of the rocket, thereby preventing further leakage. Also, the inner bottom layer 115c at the bottom 116 of the pocket 110 absorbs further water leakage and expands, preventing further leakage and protecting the engine 211. The buckle 114 (FIG. 8A) is used by the transport drone 500 or other VTOL aircraft, and the pocket 110 is carried via a cable similar to 105 in FIG. 1 or 405 in FIG. 4 to receive the rocket 210.

[0037] Figure 9 shows another embodiment of the pocket, particularly for protecting a rocket engine. As shown in the lower diagram of Figure 9A, the pocket 120 does not have a conical shape portion and is tightly attached to the protective cage 630. The protective cage 630 is similar to the cage 610 (Figure 7) and the cage 620 (Figure 8). As shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 9C, the cage 630 has a top ring 631, a bottom ring 634, a bar 632 connecting 631 and 634, and a protective frame 633 connected to the bottom ring 634. Portion 632a is the cross-sectional view of the connecting bar 632. The top ring 631 has a wide rim that firmly connects the pocket 120 so that water is prevented from entering the pocket from the gap between the pocket 120 and the cage 630. An O-ring 636 for sealing made of an elastomer such as Viton and Buna-N is attached to the top ring 631. To catch and tightly hold the pocket 120 and the cage 630, a plurality of clutches 235 are fixed to the rocket 230 by a plurality of hinges 236 (upper diagram of Figure 9A). The plurality of clutches 235 are controlled by a plurality of pushers. The plurality of said pushers have an inner portion 233 and an outer portion 232. The plurality of pushers are fixed to the rocket 230 at a plurality of hinges 231. The plurality of clutches 235 are connected to the inner portion 233 of the plurality of pushers at the hinge 234. Before the pocket 120 and the cage 630 are transported to the rocket 230 via the cable 105 (Figure 1) or the cable 405 (Figure 4) at the buckle 635 by the drone 500 (Figure 5A) or other VTOL aircraft, the inner portion 233 of the plurality of pushers is in the retracted (pulled-in) position. The plurality of clutches 235 are lifted by the inner portion 233 of the plurality of pushers so that the pocket 120 and the cage 630 are caught (upper diagram of Figure 9A). As shown in Figure 9B, after the pocket 120 and the cage 630 are transported to the bottom of the rocket 230, the inner portion 233 moves forward (extends) to push down the plurality of clutches 235, and at the bottom of the ring 631, the pocket 120 and the cage 630 are firmly locked.The O-ring 636 seals the gap between the cage 630 and the bottom of the rocket 230 to prevent water from entering the pocket and damaging the rocket's engine 237. A plurality of pushers are actuated by hydraulic pressure or electric power.

[0038] In another embodiment, after the spacecraft is decelerated by a parachute, a recovery helicopter with a high payload capacity, which is a type of VTOL aircraft, is used to directly catch the returning spacecraft. FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of this system in which a rocket 200 decelerated by a parachute 201 is caught using a recovery helicopter 702. A trailing cable 700 is directly connected to the top of the rocket 200 without interfering with the parachute 201. A small drogue parachute 701 is used to deploy the trailing cable 700, and the trailing cable 700 is caught by a recovery cable 703 hanging from the helicopter 702. A VTOL connection drone 520 is used to facilitate the efficient catching of the trailing cable 700 by the recovery cable 703 at the loop 704. FIG. 11 shows the procedure of the connection drone 520 when catching the cable 700 at the loop 704. A rigid inverted T-shaped rod 521 is fixed to the bottom of the drone 520. The drone 520 is coupled to the helicopter 702 at the lower end of the recovery cable 703 by a joint 522 of the rod 521. At the other end of the rod 521, there is a clutch 524 having a moving part 525. This is controlled by an actuator 523. To capture the rocket 200, the recovery helicopter 702 carries the connection drone 520 by the recovery cable 703. At this time, the drone 520 is not in the active flight mode. When the recovery helicopter approaches the rocket 200 with the trailing cable 700 deployed by the drogue parachute 701, the connection drone 520 is activated and flies, approaching the trailing cable 700 while being guided by the GPS 526 and the camera 527. The actuator 523 keeps the joint part 525 in the open mode. When the loop 704 of the cable 700 is caught by the clutch 524, the actuator 523 closes 525, holding the loop 704 and the trailing cable 700. Thereafter, the connection drone 520 releases the flight mode.Recovery helicopter 702 will carry the rocket 200 or other spacecraft by means of the connected cables 703 and 700. As the helicopter 702 flies forward, the parachute 201 expands and continues to function. Thus, the parachute 201 continues to provide lift to the rocket 200. Thereafter, the helicopter 702 transports the rocket 200 to the factory for repair for the next flight while obtaining continuous support from the parachute 201.

[0039] Figures 12 and 13 show another embodiment of an aerial recovery system having a VTOL recovery helicopter 702 and a connecting drone 520 by directly capturing the rocket 200 and other spacecraft at the top of the fuselage. The left side of Figure 13 shows a partial view of a small top portion of the rocket 200. There is a handle 204 at the top of the rocket 200. When the clutch 524 catches the handle 204, the clutch portion 525 closes. Thereafter, the connecting drone 520 disengages from the flight mode, and the helicopter 702 transports the captured rocket 200 to a designated location for repair for the next flight while obtaining continuous support from the parachute.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0040]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5A

Figure 5B

Figure 6A

Figure 6B

Figure 6C

Figure 7A

Figure 7B

Figure 7C

Figure 8A

Figure 8B

Figure 9A

Figure 9B

Figure 9C

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Claims

1. A system for softly capturing, protecting, and landing a spacecraft returning from space, comprising: A deceleration system for decelerating the returning spacecraft for a soft landing; A protection system including a pocket for capturing and protecting the spacecraft; A transporter system for carrying the pocket to capture the returning spacecraft and enabling the protected spacecraft in the pocket to make a soft landing in a body of water; The body of water that functions as a direct buffer for absorbing the impact of the falling spacecraft by directly landing the pocket with the spacecraft on the water; Including, The spacecraft includes, but is not limited to, the first stage, the second stage, or other stages of a rocket, or parts thereof; The deceleration system does not perform a landing burn; The pocket is a watertight container, independent of and physically separated from the spacecraft, so that it lands directly on the body of water; The transporter system is configured not to prevent the direct landing of the pocket on the body of water; The body of water is a sea, a lake, an artificial pool, or other open water area capable of receiving the returning spacecraft. A system.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the spacecraft has a GPS and / or other telemetry system that continuously reports its position.

3. The deceleration system according to claim 1, including one or more parachutes for decelerating the returning spacecraft for a soft landing.

4. The shape of the pocket is configured to conform to the shape of the returning spacecraft. The pocket has, An open mouth for taking in the spacecraft; A closed bottom for holding the spacecraft. The protection system according to claim 1.

5. The pocket is made of a material with high strength, watertightness, flexibility, airtightness, and heat resistance. The material includes plastic, rubber, carbon fiber, or other materials, or combinations thereof. The protection system according to claim 1.

6. The pocket has one or more airbags for supporting the pocket on the sea or other bodies of water. The air in the airbag is normal air or a gas lighter than air. The protection system according to claim 1.

7. Including one or more vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. The VTOL aircraft includes, but is not limited to, drones. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the VTOL aircraft carries the pocket to capture the returning spacecraft, so that the pocket for accommodating the spacecraft descends and can land directly on the water area.

8. A GPS and / or other telemetry system, and / or a camera, which continuously receives GPS signals and / or other positioning signals from the descending spacecraft and uses these positioning signals to guide the pocket to capture the spacecraft. The transport system according to claim 1.

9. Further comprising a protective cage fixed to the bottom of the pocket. The protective cage is for protecting the engine of the returning rocket from damage caused by the physical impact of landing on the sea or other water areas, and preventing possible heat damage to the returning rocket to the pocket. The protective cage Has a top ring and a bottom ring with an outer diameter the same as or slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the rocket body so that the rocket can seat on the cage. A connecting bar for connecting the top ring and the bottom ring. A protective frame connected to the bottom ring to separate the engine of the rocket from the bottom of the pocket. The protective system according to claim 1, comprising.

10. A protective cage fixed to the bottom of the returning rocket. A plurality of hinges for connecting the protective cage and the rocket. A plurality of pushers connected to the protective cage and the rocket. Further comprising. The protective cage is for protecting the engine of the returning rocket from the physical impact of landing on the sea or other water areas and preventing possible heat damage to the returning rocket to the pocket. The protective cage is movable relative to the rocket at two positions, up and down. The protective cage Has a top ring and a bottom ring with an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the rocket body so that the protective cage can be in the upper position. A connecting bar for connecting the top ring and the bottom ring. A protective frame connected to the bottom ring. And has. The protective frame is seated between a plurality of engine nozzles, When the rocket is in the launch mode, the protective cage is pulled to the upper position where the protective frame is hidden above the plurality of engine nozzles to avoid heat damage from the combustion flare. When the rocket is in the landing mode, the protective cage is pushed to the lower position where the protective frame is pushed below the plurality of engine nozzles to separate the rocket engine from the bottom of the pocket. Each pusher, One end connected to the rocket, The other end connected to the top ring of the protective cage, And has, The plurality of pushers move the protective cage from the upper position above the plurality of engine nozzles to the lower position below the plurality of engine nozzles. The protective system according to claim 1.

11. The impermeable pocket according to claim 1 for capturing and protecting the bottom portion of the rocket having an engine, A protective cage fixed to the bottom of the pocket, A leakage prevention system for preventing sea or other water from entering the pocket from the gap between the pocket and the rocket and damaging the engine of the rocket, Including, The protective cage, A top ring and a bottom ring having a diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the rocket body, A connecting bar for connecting the top ring and the bottom ring, A protective frame connected to the bottom ring to separate the engine of the rocket from contacting the bottom of the pocket, The protective system according to claim 1 for particularly protecting the returning rocket engine including.

12. Including an inner layer in the pocket according to claim 11, The inner layer is made of a water-reactive material, The water-reactive material expands into a foam and an adhesive substance to prevent water from entering the pocket and damaging the returning rocket engine. The leakage prevention system according to claim 11.

13. A sealing O-ring made of an elastomer, attached to the top ring of the protective cage according to claim 11, for sealing the gap between the protective cage and the captured rocket. A device on the rocket for catching the protective cage having the pocket and locking it tightly with the rocket, comprising, the device is, a plurality of clutches for catching and locking the protective cage and the pocket, a plurality of pushers, comprising, each clutch has, one end attached to the rocket by a hinge, the other end attached to the pusher and controlled by the pusher, having, each pusher has, one end hinged to the rocket, the other end hinged to the clutch, having, The leakage prevention system according to claim 11, wherein the inner part of each pusher retracts to open the clutch to catch the protective cage and the pocket, and advances to lock the protective cage and the pocket.

14. Further comprising cooling and other protection by water or other protective fluid from a water tank carried by a drone or other vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, One or more VTOL aircraft having a GPS and / or other telemetry system and / or a camera for receiving the returning spacecraft, A water tank attached to the VTOL aircraft and having pure water or other protective fluid, A control nozzle for controlling the spraying of water or other protective fluid for cooling and protecting the returning spacecraft, The protection system according to claim 1, comprising.

15. A system for transporting a container using a VTOL aircraft guided by a camera, GPS, and / or other telemetry system, and for receiving, capturing, and protecting a powerless falling object in the air, One or more VTOL aircraft having a camera, GPS, and / or other telemetry system, A container carried by the VTOL aircraft for capturing the falling object, The falling object captured by the container carried by the VTOL aircraft, comprising, the system.

16. A system for capturing and protecting a spacecraft decelerated by a parachute using a VTOL recovery aircraft capable of capturing the spacecraft decelerated by the parachute while maintaining the function of the parachute, A deceleration system for decelerating the spacecraft for soft landing, including one or more parachutes, and the deceleration system that does not perform landing combustion. The VTOL recovery aircraft capable of capturing the spacecraft decelerated by the parachute, including a GPS and / or telemetry system and / or a camera for capturing the spacecraft decelerated by the parachute head-on. A recovery cable suspended from the VTOL recovery aircraft for directly catching the spacecraft decelerated by the parachute or catching a trailing cable directly extending from the spacecraft decelerated by the parachute by a small drog chute. One or more VTOL connection drones coupled to the lower end of the recovery cable for making a quick and accurate connection with the spacecraft decelerated by the parachute directly on the spacecraft or on the trailing cable directly extending from the spacecraft by the small drog chute. A system comprising the above.

17. There is a long rod fixed to the bottom of the drone. The rod is parallel to the plane of the blades of the drone. One end of the rod is connected to the recovery cable from the VTOL recovery aircraft. The other end of the rod has a control clutch for directly catching the spacecraft or catching the trailing cable from the spacecraft. The VTOL connection drone according to claim 16, wherein the rod is longer than the span of the blades of the drone so that the blades do not contact the recovery cable or the spacecraft when the drone is in flight mode.

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