In-Flight Landing Pad Construction to Mitigate Rocket Plume Ejecta
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Landing spacecraft on unimproved surfaces like the Moon or Mars is challenging due to the dangerous ejecta created by the spacecraft's engine plume, which can cause damage and disrupt orbital vehicles, and constructing a landing pad on these surfaces is costly and risky.
Innovation Solution
A spacecraft manufactures its own landing pad in-flight using a rocket engine to inject landing pad construction particles, forming a safe landing surface by combusting propellant and directing the plume at the construction site, with sensors to ensure the pad's safety and quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spacecraft lands on an unimproved surface using existing technology, then the landing can be achieved, but the spacecraft suffers damage from ejecta and the cost exceeds 120 million US dollars on the Moon
Solution Approach 1:
The spacecraft performs preliminary action by constructing a landing pad in-flight before the actual landing. The pad is built by injecting particles into the engine plume, which are then deposited onto the unimproved surface to create a protective layer that mitigates ejecta damage during subsequent landing operations
Solution Approach 2:
The landing pad serves as an intermediary between the spacecraft and the unimproved surface. This intermediate layer absorbs and redirects the harmful ejecta, protecting the spacecraft while enabling safe landing on surfaces that would otherwise be too dangerous
2Reliability
If a pre-constructed landing pad is used, then landing safety is improved, but the cost stretches into the billions of dollars for Mars
Solution Approach 1:
The spacecraft performs self-service by constructing its own landing pad using materials and resources available during the mission. This eliminates the need for expensive precursor missions to deliver construction equipment and materials, as the pad is built in-flight using the spacecraft's own engine plume and injected particles
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameters of pad construction by transitioning from ground-based pre-construction to in-flight construction. This parameter change enables the use of the spacecraft's engine plume as a construction tool, dramatically reducing the cost from billions to manageable levels while maintaining safety
3Power
If the spacecraft engine plume is directed at the unimproved surface, then thrust is achieved, but dangerous ejecta is created that can send lunar regolith into lunar orbit
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful engine plume into a beneficial construction tool. The same plume that would normally create dangerous ejecta is instead used to propel landing pad particles onto the surface, transforming a harmful effect into a useful function for pad construction
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful ejecta is extracted from the direct path between the engine and the surface by introducing landing pad particles as an intermediate layer. This layer absorbs and redirects the plume energy, separating the thrust generation function from the harmful ejecta creation
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 enables safer and more economical landings by minimizing ejecta-related damage, eliminating the need for pre-constructed landing pads, and allowing landings in various unimproved environments.
Implementation Method 1
combusting propellant in the rocket engine to create a plume directed at a landing pad construction site
Implementation Method 2
injecting landing pad construction particles into the rocket engine that are propelled toward the landing pad construction site
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a method of constructing a landing pad using a rocket engine while in-flight. Among other benefits, this method can reduce ejecta that otherwise would occur during landing on an unimproved surface. While a spacecraft is hovering over an unimproved surface, the spacecraft can inject particles into its rocket engine, after which the particles absorb heat from the engine and are projected at ballistic speeds toward the unimproved surface to create a landing pad. After constructing the landing pad and waiting for the landing pad to cool, the spacecraft can land on the landing pad. Also described herein are landing pads created from such particles as they impact the surface in a disc splat mode into the unimproved surface.