The present invention relates to an aerospace vehicle comprising an airplane or spacecraft, operatively coupled to an airship balloon containing lighter than air gas adapted to elevate the vehicle. A control system adapted to deflate the balloon upon reaching a predetermined altitude by directing the gas for powering the vehicle at greater speed. The balloon can be re-inflated for decreasing the speed of the vehicle upon reaching a destination and deflated in a controlled manner for landing the vehicle or disengaged from the vehicle upon transferring the gas from the balloon to a propulsion system of the vehicle.

Systems and methods for describing, simulating and/or optimizing spaceborne systems and missions. Configurations for spaceborne systems are generated and validated based on simulation output.

A low-cost rocket includes an atmospheric flight part and an exo-atmospheric flight part, and uses the atmospheric air part to ascend into the atmosphere through the use of propellers for the atmospheric portion of the flight. The atmospheric flight part separates from the exo-atmospheric flight part in the vicinity of the exo-atmosphere and the exo-atmospheric rocket is launched thereupon. The atmospheric flight part descends through the atmosphere using autorotation of the propellers and, if necessary, a soft landing can be affected by controlling the pitch of the propellers just prior to landing.

A satellite assembly is disclosed, including a satellite and a shroud. The satellite is stowed in a launch vehicle and the shroud includes a frame supporting a flexible thermal blanket enclosing the satellite.

A satellite apparatus is disclosed, including a housing having first and second opposing walls, and a support structure inside the housing spanning the first and second walls. The support structure is structurally connected to the housing only at the first and second walls, and an end portion of the support structure is configured for connection to a launch vehicle by a separation system.

A space launch system includes a launch track and an elevating platform for horizontally launching aerospace vehicles at a takeoff velocity. The launch track includes a first portion horizontally oriented with respect to the horizon, a second portion positioned after the first portion and horizontally oriented with respect to the horizon, and a third curved transition portion disposed between the first portion and the second portion. The elevating platform is coupled to the launch track and is configured to receive and position an aerospace vehicle upon the launch track. A magnetic accelerator is disposed along the launch track for propelling the aerospace vehicle down the launch track to reach the takeoff velocity. The magnetic accelerator includes magnetic levitation trains, each comprising a respective plurality of carriers that couple to the aerospace vehicle.

Concurrent rocket engine pre-conditioning and tank filling is disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes an inlet valve to supply a rocket propellant tank that is associated with a rocket engine with rocket propellant, and a flow director to direct at least a portion of a flow of the rocket propellant from the inlet valve to a chill line of the rocket engine to thermally condition the rocket engine as the rocket propellant tank is being filled with the rocket propellant.

The present disclosure relates to a launch system and method. The launch system and method can include at least a preliminary accelerator tube system (PAT) that can be combined with a main accelerator tube system (MAT). The PAT alone or combined with the MAT can be used for launch of a vehicle for testing and/or for delivery of a payload.

A space vehicle includes: an aerospike nozzle formed on an aft end of the vehicle; a truncated spike including an outer edge and a surface formed on a rear portion of the truncated spike; and an annular ring outlet formed at the aft end of the vehicle between the outer edge of the truncated spike and an inner edge of the aft end of the space vehicle.

A space launch system and method through electromagnetic pushing. The space launch system comprises an energy storage subsystem, an energy conversion subsystem, a linear motor subsystem, and a control maintenance subsystem. The space launch system converts the electric energy into an electromagnetic force. Through the electromagnetic force, a rocket is pushed to be accelerated to a certain speed along an electromagnetic launching track to realize the launching of the rocket.