Energetic Weld Anchors for Stabilizing Rocket Stage Landings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Challenges arise in securing rocket stages after vertical landing, particularly on floating platforms where maintaining stability and safety is difficult due to rocking and swaying, and ensuring adequate support post-landing.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a bonding device using energetic welding, which includes an anchor element with a metal layer that deforms onto a landing surface upon activation, forming a strong weld to secure the landing support elements to the surface, thereby stabilizing the rocket stage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rocket stage is landed vertically on a floating platform, then the rocket stage can be retrieved and refurbished for launch, but the floating platform rocks and sways making it difficult to keep the rocket stage upright after landing
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding device is activated automatically upon landing to create a secure connection between the landing support element and the landing surface before the floating platform's motion can compromise the rocket stage's stability. This preliminary bonding action ensures the rocket stage is anchored in place before any rocking or swaying occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The bonding device acts as an intermediary element between the landing support element and the landing surface. It transfers and distributes the loads and forces between these components, providing a stable connection that compensates for the motion of the floating platform and maintains the rocket stage's upright orientation.
2Ease of manufacture
If a rocket stage is landed vertically on a surface without securing mechanisms, then the landing process is simple, but the unsecured rocket stage presents a safety hazard for workers and equipment nearby
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding device is designed to activate automatically upon landing without requiring manual intervention. The system self-secures the rocket stage to the landing surface through automatic detection of the landing event and activation of the bonding mechanism, eliminating the need for workers to manually secure the stage while still providing safety protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The bonding device secures the rocket stage to the landing surface immediately upon landing, before any potential safety hazards can develop. This preliminary securing action prevents the rocket stage from tipping or moving unexpectedly, thereby protecting workers and equipment while maintaining process simplicity.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional bonding methods are used to secure the landing support element to the landing surface, then the bonding process can be performed with existing technology, but the bonding process requires human intervention which slows down the process and exposes workers to danger
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding device is configured to activate automatically upon landing without requiring human intervention. The system detects the landing event and autonomously activates the bonding mechanism, eliminating worker exposure to danger while maintaining compatibility with existing bonding technologies and processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The bonding device replaces manual mechanical bonding operations with an automated system that triggers upon landing. This substitution eliminates the need for workers to physically perform bonding operations while utilizing established bonding technologies, thereby increasing automation without requiring entirely new bonding methods.
4Productivity
If the bonding device uses an anchor element with energetic material that deforms onto the landing surface, then rapid and strong bonding is achieved, but the bonding process generates significant force and heat
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding device extracts only the necessary bonding function from the energetic material system, using a controlled amount of material that generates sufficient bonding force and heat for rapid bonding while minimizing excessive thermal effects. The design optimizes the energy release to achieve the required bond strength without unnecessary heat generation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method provides rapid and strong bonding, enhancing stability on unstable surfaces and ensuring safety by automating the bonding process, allowing for secure and efficient reuse of rocket stages without human intervention during bonding.
Implementation Method 1
A bonding device is carried by at least one of the landing support elements and configured to form a weld between the bonding device and the landing surface when the launch vehicle portion is on the landing surface.
Implementation Method 2
A bonding device having an energetic material, and an anchor element having a layer of metal material, wherein activating the energetic material deforms the layer of metal material onto the landing surface to form a weld between the bonding device and the landing surface.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for bonding objects using energetic welding are disclosed. A representative system includes a launch vehicle portion, one or more landing support elements positioned to support the launch vehicle portion when the launch vehicle portion lands on a landing surface, and a bonding device carried by at least one of the landing support elements and configured to form a bond between the bonding device and the landing surface when the launch vehicle portion is on the landing surface. The bond may include a weld. A further representative system includes a bonding device with an energetic material and an anchor element, wherein activating the energetic material deforms the anchor element onto a landing surface to form a weld between the bonding device and the landing surface. A representative method includes automatically bonding a portion of a launch vehicle to a landing surface in response to landing.