Landing Hook System with Density-Gradient Deceleration Pool

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rockets face challenges in safely landing and recovering due to external and internal forces, leading to potential damage and limited reusability, especially when landing gear is removed for increased efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A deceleration pool system filled with liquid and injection manifolds that create a gradient density profile to mitigate impact forces and provide a backup landing system, using gas injection to control density and enhance deceleration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If landing gear is removed from the rocket to reduce mass and increase fuel efficiency, then the rocket's fuel consumption efficiency improves, but the safety and reliability of landing deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel consumption efficiencyVSAvoidlanding safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A deceleration pool filled with liquid serves as an intermediary system between the rocket and the ground. The pool creates a density profile through gas injection that provides deceleration and protection during landing, allowing the rocket to operate without traditional landing gear while maintaining safety

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The density of the liquid in the deceleration pool is dynamically changed by injecting gas to create a density profile. This parameter change optimizes the deceleration characteristics, providing appropriate resistance forces during rocket landing without requiring mechanical landing gear

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If a deceleration pool with gas injection system is added to provide backup landing protection, then the reliability of landing improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelanding safetyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses gas injection into liquid (pneumatics-hydraulics) to create the density profile in the deceleration pool. This approach provides a relatively simple mechanism compared to mechanical landing gear, using fluid dynamics to achieve the protective function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The deceleration pool serves multiple functions: it provides deceleration during landing, creates a density profile for optimized performance, and acts as a backup safety system. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems, managing complexity while improving reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Strength

If the deceleration pool uses a gradient density profile created by gas injection, then the deceleration performance and impact load distribution improve, but the use of energy increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact load distributionVSAvoidgas injection energy

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The gas injection system creates the density profile in advance before the rocket lands. This preliminary action prepares the optimal deceleration environment, ensuring that when the rocket enters the pool, the density distribution is already optimized for impact load distribution and deceleration performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

The system reduces damage to rockets by increasing deceleration time and distributing impact loads, allowing for safer and more reliable recovery of reusable rockets.

Implementation Method 1

one or more injection manifolds for injecting gas into the liquid to create a density profile throughout the deceleration pool

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas injection:

Implementation Method 2

The resulting density profile may be a gradient density profile having a lowest density at the center of a landing region and higher density away from the center

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDensity profile: Density Gradient

Implementation Method 3

The resulting deceleration pool increases the deceleration time of the rocket and decreases the impact loads on the rocket

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDeceleration:

Implementation Method 4

decreases the impact loads on the rocket

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectImpact force reduction: Impact Force

Implementation Method 5

The deceleration pool also aids in extinguishing any fire that might result if the primary structure is compromised during recovery

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFire extinguishing:

Data Source

PatentUS12448154B2System comprising a deceleration pool with a landing hook system disposed above it for receiving a landing rocket

Publication Date: 2025.10.21 BLUE ORIGIN MANUFACTURING LLC

AI summary

A recovery system for receiving rockets upon landing comprising a deceleration pool filled with liquid. The system may have a volume filled with the liquid having a desired density profile. An injection manifold injects gas into the liquid to create the density profile. The liquid may have a first density at a landing region of the pool and a second density greater than the first density away from the landing region, such as increasing in density radially outward from a center of the landing region. The pool may be located under a primary landing system intended to secure the landing rocket, such as a hook catch. The pool may be a contingency system for mitigating damage to a landing rocket that unsuccessfully attempts securing with the primary landing system.