RU2160215C1 - Aero-space system - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: aero-space equipment, applicable for injection of various payloads to low and medium near-earth orbits, as well as for their operative delivery to distant points of the Earth and Universe ocean. SUBSTANCE: the system incorporates a carrier aeroplane and a launch vehicle with liquid-propellant rocket engines. The rocket is positioned in a transport launching pack with heat insulation. The pack is installed inside the fuselage of the carrier aeroplane, and a pneumonic cell is formed between its blind end and the rocket end. The cell accommodates the devices for propellant filling and filling of propulsive masses, vent propellant replenishment, electric coupling components. All mentioned means are plug- connected to the rocket end. The pack is provided with a pneumatic dropping device in the form of a high-pressure source connected to the pneumonic cell. The pack free end is hermetically connected around the edges to the aeroplane fuselage opening for exit of the launch vehicle. EFFECT: enhanced load-carrying capacity, reduced cost of payload injection, enhanced safety (ecological inclusive) of the system and crew. 1 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to aerospace engineering and, in particular, can be used to launch various low payloads, for example, communication satellites, navigation, monitoring, including environmental, scientific research equipment, as well as operational delivery of useful, into low and medium Earth orbits cargo to distant points of the Earth and the World Ocean.

 According to the European company Euroconsult, in the period 2000 - 2015 it will be necessary to launch about 1800 satellites into space on more than 200 projects, into near-earth orbits with altitudes up to 3000 - 5000 km with various inclinations. The potential of the market for launch services will be about 15-20 billion US dollars.

 Given the relevance of creating means for launching light-class missiles, developments are being carried out in the USA, Germany, Great Britain, Ukraine, Russia, Japan, and China.

 The Pegasus aerospace system with a carrying capacity of about 450 kg has been created and is being operated in the USA, work is underway on the Oril project in Ukraine, and on the Shtil-ZA and Burlak-Diana projects in Russia.

 The Oryl and Shtil-ZA projects use AT-NDMT intercontinental ballistic missiles fired with toxic fuel as launch vehicles and do not ensure environmental safety of operation.

Known aerospace systems for launching aircraft from the "roof" of a carrier aircraft, for example a launch vehicle or a small space aircraft (RF patent N 2061630, MKI ⁶ B 64 G 1/14).

 The disadvantage of such systems is the need to launch rocket engines to leave the carrier aircraft, which is extremely dangerous during missile accidents during its launch.

The Burlak-Diana project (Aviation Week and Space Technol magazine, 01/11/99, p. 444, USA) and the project of the German company Daimler-Benz Aerospace P. G. (RF patent N 2120398, MKI ⁶ B 64 G 1 / 14) use a cruise carrier rocket suspended from below under the fuselage or wing of a carrier aircraft.

 The disadvantages of these projects are restrictions on the diameter of the launch vehicle, determined by the available sizes between the lower surface of the aircraft and the runway, as well as the need to create aerodynamic surfaces on the launch vehicle to perform climb maneuvers after horizontal separation from the carrier aircraft.

Known aerospace system company Rockwell International Corporation (US patent N 5402965, MKI ⁶ B 64 G, 1/14), consisting of a carrier aircraft and mounted below it, a launch vehicle with a returning spacecraft (payload), performing horizontal start from the airfield, delivery of the launch vehicle with the payload to the point of separation from the carrier aircraft, launch of the payload by the launch vehicle to a predetermined point in the orbit and separation of the load with its subsequent return to Earth.

Also known is the technical solution according to RF patent N 2026798, MKI ⁶ B 64 D, 5/00 of the company Orbital Sciences Corporation, US, which represents a launch vehicle dropped from a carrier aircraft containing stages with propulsion systems, a wing and a payload.

 The disadvantages of the above technical solutions for US patent N 5402965 and RF patent N 2026798 repeat the disadvantages of the Burlak-Diana system described above, and, in addition, complicate the control system due to the need to control both on the aerodynamic flight section using the wing, and on the jet flight site.

 All the aerospace systems described above realize the separation of the launch vehicle from the launch vehicle, either by launching jet engines on the launch vehicle, or by using exhaust parachutes, or by using the aerodynamic capabilities of the wings of the launch vehicle.

 A technical solution is known according to US patent N 5279199, MKI F 41 F 3/06, B 64 D 1/04 of the company Hughes Aircraft Company, representing a method and apparatus for launching (pushing) a rocket against the direction of flight, containing a launch tube in which the rocket is mounted and an ejector device in the form of a pneumatic cushion with a device for boosting it.

The disadvantages of this method and the ejection apparatus are:
- uncontrolled efforts on the structural elements of the rocket in places of their contact with the air bag, leading to unacceptable loads on these elements and their possible destruction, which reduces the reliability of the rocket;
- the problematic use for launch vehicles with significant mass, since it excludes the possibility of placing the mounting elements (supports) of the launch vehicle in the area of placement (laying) of the air bag, which leads to suboptimal loading of the launch vehicle, to increase the mass of its structure and, accordingly , loss of payload mass;
- low efficiency of the ejection device using a pneumatic cushion, since the developed pressure in the cushion is limited by the volume of the cushion placed in the dimensions of the launch tube.

The closest analogue of the invention is the Pegasus aerospace system according to US patent N 4901949, MKI ⁶ B 64 G 1/14, containing a carrier aircraft, a carrier rocket, with powder engines, a wing and a payload.

 The disadvantages of this system are the aforementioned restrictions on the diameter of the launch vehicle suspended under the launch vehicle, the presence on the launch vehicle of a wing for gaining height after horizontal separation from the aircraft, and the complicated control system (for two modes: for wing flight and for jet flight), as well as, as a consequence, the low carrying capacity of this system and the high unit cost of the output payload.

 The objective of the invention is to increase the carrying capacity of the aerospace system, reducing the unit cost of launching the payload and providing increased dimensions of the zone to accommodate the payloads, while ensuring the safety of the carrier aircraft and its crew, as well as the environmental safety of the system.

 The task is achieved by the fact that in an aerospace system containing a carrier rocket, a booster rocket and a payload, a booster rocket with liquid rocket propulsion systems is placed in a transport and launch container with an airborne landing device, airborne elements of a launcher refueling device fuel and working fluids, elements of drainage devices and fueling liquid-propellant rocket propulsion systems with fuel, while the launch vehicle is installed inside the f zelyazha aircraft carrier.

 The launcher is installed in the transport and launch container with installation elements in at least two zones, and between its end and the blind end of the transport and launch container a sealed pneumatic chamber is formed in which the airborne elements of the said refueling devices and the elements of the drainage devices are placed and recharge, which are connected to the rocket at its end using detachable connections, and the device for pneumatic landing is made in the form of a high pressure source connected by w valves with pneumatic chamber transport and launch container, which is provided with thermal insulation. The free end of the transport and launch container coincides with the hole in the fuselage CH and is hermetically connected to the perimeter of this hole.

The proposed aerospace system is shown in the drawing, where:
1 - carrier aircraft (CH);
2 - launch vehicle (PH);
3 - payload (PN);
4 - liquid rocket propulsion systems (LRE);
5 - the fuselage of the carrier aircraft;
6 - transport and launch container;
7 - device pneumatic landing;
8 - airborne elements of the devices for filling the pH with fuel and working bodies;
9 - drainage device elements;
10 - elements of the fueling device rocket engine;
11 - electrical communications;
12 - installation elements;
13 - deaf end of the transport and launch container;
14 - pneumatic chamber ;.

15 - detachable connections;
16 - source of high pressure;
17 - shutoff valves;
18 - thermal insulation;
19 - free end of the transport and launch container;
20 - torn membrane.

 An aerospace system is proposed comprising a carrier aircraft 1, a carrier rocket 2 with liquid propulsion systems 4 and a payload of 3.

 The launch vehicle 2 is placed in the transport and launch container 6 using the mounting elements 12, at least in two belts PH 2, while the transport and launch container 6 is installed inside the fuselage 5 of the carrier aircraft 1.

 In the transport and launch container 6 there is a device for pneumatic landing 7 made in the form of a high pressure source 16.

 Between the blank end 13 of the transport and launch container and the end of the launch vehicle is formed a sealed pneumatic chamber 14, in which are located the onboard elements of the fueling device 8 PH 2 fuel and working bodies, the elements of the drainage device 9 and fuel liquid propellant rocket fuel 10, which are connected to the end of the rocket- carrier 2 by means of detachable connections 15. The high pressure source 16 is connected using shut-off valves 17 with the pneumatic chamber 14.

 The transport and launch container 6 is provided with thermal insulation 18. The free end 19 of the transport and launch container 6 is closed by a tearable membrane 20 when the pH 2 exits CH 1, and the free end 19 is hermetically connected to the perimeter of the hole in the fuselage 5 of CH 1.

 Transport and launch container 6 in addition to the functions of landing PH 2 also serves to load PH 2 into it at a technical position, transport and load in CH 1, to protect PH 2 from external mechanical and climatic influences. Thermal insulation 18 of the container is used for thermal stabilization of fuel tanks of the liquid propellant rocket engine 4.

 The pneumatic landing device 7 serves to push the pH 2 out of the transport and launch container 6, located in the fuselage CH 1, and contains a high pressure source 16 with shutoff valves 17 and a sealed pneumatic chamber 14 formed by the blind end of the transport and launch container 13 and the end of the PH 2 with mounting elements 12. On-board elements of the vehicles for refueling the LV with fuel and working fluids 8 can be made in the form of pipelines with shut-off valves and detachable interface elements and are designed to lock ki at the base airfield ZHRDU 4 and fuel systems PH2 working bodies before the start of the CH 1.

 The elements of the drainage device 9 are installed in the pneumatic chamber 14 and are used to discharge vapors of fuel components, for example cryogenic, from the tanks of the liquid propellant rocket engine 4 overboard both during the prelaunch and during the flight of the aircraft. The elements of the rocket engine fueling device with fuel 10 serve to refuel the tanks of the rocket engine both during prelaunch preparation of SN 1 and during the flight until the launch vehicle leaves the container.

 The placement of airborne elements of LV filling devices with fuel and working fluids, drainage device elements and elements of the liquid propellant rocket loading device, as well as their connections with the LV in the pneumatic chamber is necessary for disconnecting them from the LV by the course of the rocket, which simplifies the disconnection scheme and increases the reliability of the system.

 Sealing the free end 19 of the transport launch container along the perimeter of the opening in the fuselage 5 SN allows, when landing the LV, to isolate the internal volume of the fuselage, where there are people accompanying the LV, and thereby not expose them to the possible danger of exposure to the external environment.

 The proposed aerospace system operates as follows.

 The carrier aircraft 1, for example, the heavy transport aircraft AN-124-100, with the carrier rocket 2 on board, starts from the airfield and flies to the estimated launch area, for example, to the equator.

In the launch area of RN 2, the carrier aircraft 1 performs a maneuver with access to a section of the trajectory where the vertical overload is close to zero (zero gravity section). On this site, when the calculated parameters are reached that correspond to the start of the launch of PH 2, for example, at an altitude of 10-12 km, an angle of trajectory to the local horizon of 15-25 ^o and a flight speed of 650-750 km / h, a command is given to trigger the airborne landing device 7 and the opening of the shut-off valve 17 of the high-pressure source 16, from which the gas enters the pneumatic chamber 14. When excessive gas pressure is reached in the pneumatic chamber 14, for example, about one atmosphere, the PH 2 with the mounting elements 12 is disconnected from of the export-launch container 6 and under gas pressure, the launch of the PH 2 from the free end 19 of the transport-launch container 6 begins, and the membrane 20 is opened by the launch of the pH. At the same time, the run of the PH 2 disconnects the detachable connections 15, undocking the airborne elements of the devices for refueling the PH with fuel and working bodies 8, the elements of the drainage device 9, the elements of the fueling device of the liquid propellant rocket fuel 10, electrical connections 11.

 During the estimated time, for example, in 1.5-2.5 seconds, the PH 2 exits the fuselage of the carrier aircraft 5, and then performs a non-motorized flight for a time ensuring a safe distance from CH 1, for example, to remove 150 -200 m.

 Then, the rocket engine 4 of the launch vehicle 2 is turned on and the flight of the launch vehicle is carried out with the delivery of the payload 3 to a given orbit.

The proposed invention allows:
- increase the size of the zone to accommodate payloads by using significantly larger volumes of the fuselage, for example, AN-124-100 Ruslan, compared with the dimensions between the lower surface of the fuselage and the runway of all known systems, including the Pegasus system;
- increase the carrying capacity and reduce the unit cost of removing the payload. For example, when using the AN-124-100 Ruslan as the carrier aircraft, the cost of removing one kilogram of payload is 5-6 times less than the similar cost of the Pegasus system. This is achieved by placing the launch vehicle in a transport and launch container with a pneumatic landing device, which allows for launching the launch vehicle in conditions close to zero gravity;
- to ensure high safety of the MV and its crew due to the inclusion of rocket launchers on a significant distance from the MV, which is possible due to the fact that the LV has already been informed of the initial impulse of speed during landing, and also due to the isolation of the crew from the external environment when the LV leaves the MV;
- ensure the environmental safety of the system due to the possibility of using liquid propellant rocket engines on environmentally friendly fuel components, for example, “liquid oxygen-kerosene” or “liquid oxygen-liquefied natural gas”.

 The proposed invention can be implemented using existing transport aircraft, for example, AN-124-100 Ruslan or AN-225 Mriya. The use of existing liquid-propellant rocket engines, for example, NK-33, NK-43, RD-0124, 11D58M, as well as developed technologies for the production of launch vehicles make it possible to create a launch vehicle for the proposed aerospace system in the shortest possible time and at minimal cost.

 The transport and launch container with the pneumatic landing device of the proposed design is carried out according to well-known technologies and using, including, finished components.

Claims (1)

 An aerospace system containing a carrier aircraft, a carrier rocket and a payload, characterized in that the carrier rocket has liquid rocket propulsion systems and is placed in a transport and launch container using mounting elements located in at least two zones moreover, the transport and launch container has thermal insulation and is installed inside the fuselage of the launch vehicle, between the blind end of the transport and launch container and the end of the launch vehicle a sealed pneumatic the chamber in which the onboard elements of the launcher refueling devices with fuel and working fluids, the drainage device elements, the elements of the liquid propellant propulsion system fueling device are located, and all the mentioned devices, electrical communications and onboard elements are connected to the end of the launch vehicle using detachable connections, while the transport and launch container is equipped with a device for pneumatic landing of the launch vehicle, made in the form of a high pressure source connected by means of valves with the indicated pneumatic chamber and located in the transport and launch container, and the free end of the specified container is hermetically connected to the perimeter of the hole in the fuselage for the launch of the launch vehicle from the carrier aircraft.