Dimpled Spherical Cargo Ball for Reusable Space Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current space missions face high costs and environmental impacts due to the use of single-use rocket stages that become space junk, necessitating improved technologies for reusable space cargo vessels that reduce costs and environmental concerns.
Innovation Solution
A spherical cargo vessel with dimples and deployable thrusters, launched from a stratospheric aircraft using a superconducting guideway, which allows for efficient and reusable transportation of cargo to space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If single-use rocket stages are used for space missions, then cargo can be transported to space, but the rocket stages become space junk and cause environmental harm
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical cargo vessel is designed to be reusable rather than single-use. After completing its space mission, the vessel can be recovered and reused for subsequent missions, eliminating the problem of discarded rocket stages becoming space junk. The vessel includes reusable components such as the spherical pressure vessel, propulsion system, and landing gear that can be recovered and reused.
Solution Approach 2:
The cargo vessel is divided into separable modules including the spherical pressure vessel, propulsion system, and landing gear. This segmentation allows the propulsion system and landing gear to be deployed only when needed during the mission, and the spherical vessel can be recovered independently for reuse.
2Ease of operation
If deployable thrusters are added to the spherical cargo vessel, then maneuverability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thrusters are designed to be deployable rather than permanently extended, allowing the vessel to transition between a compact spherical configuration for launch and a configuration with extended thrusters for maneuvering. The thrusters can be deployed and retracted as needed, providing maneuverability only when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The thrusters are nested within the spherical pressure vessel when not in use, similar to a nested doll structure. This allows the thrusters to be stored compactly within the sphere during launch and then deployed outward when maneuvering is needed, minimizing complexity during the launch phase while providing full maneuverability capability when required.
Data Source
AI summary
A dimpled spherical storage unit is described in the form of a cargo ball. The cargo ball includes a spherical exterior surface and a plurality of dimples in a pattern on the exterior surface. At least a first cover is configured to extend outward from the center of the cargo ball and at least a first thruster is configured to be deployed from the cargo ball.