Disclosed is a non-legged reusable air-launched carrier rocket mounted on a mid-line pylon of a supersonic fighter or a bomber fuselage and its length is not limited by the front undercarriage of the carrier aircraft. The rocket body has opposite upper and lower elongated openings at the position of the front undercarriage of the carrier aircraft. When running, the upper cover and lower cover of the openings open to the rocket body to form a vertical passage, so that the front undercarriage can be normally placed down. After taking off, the upper cover and lower cover close to form a cavity in the rocket body, and the cavity is then filled with liquid from the liquid tank in the carrier aircraft. The configuration is similar to the Roton carrier rocket.

A system for launching aerospace payloads includes a wingless, unmanned modified lifting body spacecraft (100), with a payload compartment in the forward section of the spacecraft. The spacecraft is propelled by hybrid rockets clustered in the aft section of the spacecraft. Reaction control system (RCS) modules control the flight path and its associated avionics hardware and software. This system also includes a carrier aircraft (200) configured to air-launch the spacecraft. The carrier aircraft includes a flight operations control system, which monitors the spacecraft's payload and monitors and controls launch and flight operations of the spacecraft. A ground-based mission control system monitors and controls the spacecraft's payload and monitors and controls the launch and flight operations of the spacecraft.

An apparatus includes a body having at least one pitch control system and a mounting system, the mounting system configured to couple to a payload. The apparatus also includes a rocket engine coupled to the body and configured to accelerate the body to a hypersonic speed. The apparatus further includes a control system configured to release the payload while the body moves at the hypersonic speed by commanding the at least one pitch control system to adjust an angle of attack of the body to a negative angle of attack and commanding the mounting system to release the payload while the body is moving at the hypersonic speed and at the negative angle of attack.

A high altitude vehicle is brought to a desired altitude above sea-level prior to the transfer of fuel and/or oxidant from an airplane to the high altitude vehicle. The high altitude vehicle may be towed to the desired altitude by a tow airplane or may reach the desired altitude under its own power. At the desired altitude, the high altitude vehicle is connected to the tow airplane via a tow cable. Alternatively, the high altitude vehicle may be mechanically carried by the tow airplane. Fuel and/or oxidant is transferred to the high altitude vehicle from the tow airplane via respective fuel and/or oxidant lines. The high altitude vehicle then separates from the tow airplane and proceeds to high altitude under its own power.

The satellite launcher comprises a plurality of stages detachable from each other, at least one stage including at least one engine, and at least one of said stages carrying a payload, and said stages are placed one beside or around the other, so that the width of the vehicle is at least one third of its length.

The method comprises the following phases: a) ascent of the vehicle with a balloon from a ship; and b) ignition of engines of the vehicle to put a satellite placed in the vehicle into orbit.

A method of propulsion includes providing a high-speed-launch ramjet boost (HSLRB) stage and HSLRB engine attached to a launch aircraft providing a speed ?1.5 Mach. The HSLRB engine includes a combustion system and inlet(s) for air flow to the fuel injectors. A variable geometry (VG) nozzle having a nozzle actuator exhausts gas from combustion. A processor receives sensing signals from sensor(s) during flight that provides control signals to the nozzle actuator for dynamically controlling an aperture size of the VG nozzle, and if the inlet is a VG inlet to an inlet actuator to dynamically control the VG inlet shape. The HSLRB engine is ignited while attached to the aircraft at 1.5 to 1.99 Mach if assisting the aircraft to accelerate to 2.0 Mach, or at a speed of ?2.0 Mach if the aircraft can accelerate to 2.0 Mach autonomously, then the HSLRB stage is separated from the aircraft.

A high altitude vehicle is brought to a desired altitude above sea-level prior to the transfer of fuel and/or oxidant from an airplane to the high altitude vehicle. The high altitude vehicle may be towed to the desired altitude by a tow airplane or may reach the desired altitude under its own power. At the desired altitude, the high altitude vehicle is connected to the tow airplane via a tow cable. Alternatively, the high altitude vehicle may be mechanically carried by the tow airplane. Fuel and/or oxidant is transferred to the high altitude vehicle from the tow airplane via respective fuel and/or oxidant lines. The high altitude vehicle then separates from the tow airplane and proceeds to high altitude under its own power.

A mass acceleration system for launching objects, such as a projectile or launch vehicle, via rotational acceleration is disclosed. The system may comprise a chamber maintained at near vacuum pressure, a motor that rotates a hub attached to a tethered projectile in a circular motion inside the vacuum chamber, accelerating the projectile until the projectile reaches a desired launch speed. The projectile may be released from the tether upon reaching the desired launch speed and may exit the chamber through an exit port that is opened briefly to allow the projectile to exit. In various embodiments, the circular mass acceleration system can be used to launch a projectile into space orbit. By employing rotational acceleration via a mechanical approach, the acceleration system provides a cost-effective reusable system for launching objects.

A mass accelerator for launching objects, such as a payload, via rotational acceleration is disclosed. The system may comprise a chamber maintained at near vacuum pressure, a motor that rotates a hub attached to a tethered projectile in a circular motion inside the vacuum chamber, accelerating the payload until the payload reaches a desired launch speed. The payload may be released from the tether upon reaching the desired launch speed and may exit the chamber through an exit port that is opened briefly to allow the payload to exit. In various embodiments, the circular mass acceleration system can be used to launch a payload into space orbit. By employing rotational acceleration via a mechanical approach, the acceleration system provides a cost-effective reusable system for launching objects.

Systems and methods for calculating launch sites for a satellite constellation are provided. A carrier aircraft may be configured to launch a first satellite into the first orbit and a second satellite into the second orbit. In some embodiments, information about an accessible range of the aircraft may be received. Based on the received information, a geographical area that the aircraft can access without landing may be calculated. Using received information and the orbit parameters of the first orbit and the second orbit, a first launch site for launching the first satellite and a second launch site for launching the second satellite may be calculated. The first launch site may comprise a first geographical position and a first launch time, and the second launch site may comprise a second geographical position and a second launch time. Both launch sites may be within the calculated geographical area.