A waste compaction apparatus may include a housing and a connector arm. The housing may define a drive chamber and a compaction chamber and the connector arm may include a drive piston portion movably positioned within the drive chamber and a compaction piston portion movably positioned within the compaction chamber. The drive chamber may be selectively fluidly coupleable to the near-vacuum of outer space, such that the compaction piston portion of the connector arm is configured to move within the compaction chamber to compact waste material contained within the compaction chamber in response to movement of the drive piston portion of the connector arm within the drive chamber.

The disclosure belongs to the field of aerospace technology, and in particular relates to a method of urination and defecation in space. The method may include: forming a sealed space between a spacesuit below the waist and above the two thighs and the human skin before an astronaut urinates or defecates, and using, by the astronauts, the sealed space to urinate or defecate. The disclosure can confine the excrements in a small sealed space, and the operation thereof is simple, convenient and fast, and no excessive cost is required, and no pollution is caused in the spacesuit and the cabin, facilitating the astronauts' work in space.

The disclosure belongs to the field of aerospace technology, and in particular relates to a method of urination and defecation in space. The method may include: forming a sealed space between a spacesuit below the waist and above the two thighs and the human skin before an astronaut urinates or defecates, and using, by the astronauts, the sealed space to urinate or defecate. The disclosure can confine the excrements in a small sealed space, and the operation thereof is simple, convenient and fast, and no excessive cost is required, and no pollution is caused in the spacesuit and the cabin, facilitating the astronauts' work in space.

A self-healing shield panel for protecting a spacecraft against High Velocity Particles (HVPs). The self-healing shield includes an exterior layer and an interior layer connected to define a cavity which contains a dilatant fluid with a plurality of spheroids. The kinetic energy from HVP impact is dispersed by the plurality of spheroids and absorbed by the dilatant fluid. The plurality of spheroids within the cavity move to block a puncture hole in the shield.

Vehicles with control surfaces and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a rocket can include a plurality of bidirectional control surfaces positioned toward an aft portion of the rocket. In this embodiment, the bidirectional control surfaces can be operable to control the orientation and/or flight path of the rocket during both ascent, in a nose-first orientation, and descent, in a tail-first orientation for, e.g., a tail-down landing. Launch vehicles with fixed and deployable deceleration surfaces and associated systems and methods are also disclosed.

Vehicles with control surfaces and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a rocket can include a plurality of bidirectional control surfaces positioned toward an aft portion of the rocket. In this embodiment, the bidirectional control surfaces can be operable to control the orientation and/or flight path of the rocket during both ascent, in a nose-first orientation, and descent, in a tail-first orientation for, e.g., a tail-down landing. Launch vehicles with fixed and deployable deceleration surfaces and associated systems and methods are also disclosed.

A vehicle including a sealed container, a propulsion system with an intake and an exhaust affixed to an interior of the sealed container, an exhaust stream emitted from the exhaust, a thrust corridor within the sealed configured to channel the exhaust stream, and a return corridor configured to channel an intake stream into the intake of the propulsion system wherein the exhaust stream transforms into the intake stream after traveling a sufficient distance within the sealed container and the exhaust stream and intake stream generate a pressure differential within the sealed container wherein the pressure differential is sufficient to result in a movement of the vehicle relative to the vehicle's surroundings.

A vehicle including a sealed container, a propulsion system with an intake and an exhaust affixed to an interior of the sealed container, an exhaust stream emitted from the exhaust, a thrust corridor within the sealed configured to channel the exhaust stream, and a return corridor configured to channel an intake stream into the intake of the propulsion system wherein the exhaust stream transforms into the intake stream after traveling a sufficient distance within the sealed container and the exhaust stream and intake stream generate a pressure differential within the sealed container wherein the pressure differential is sufficient to result in a movement of the vehicle relative to the vehicle's surroundings.

A habitation module that provides an artificial gravity environment. In one embodiment, the habitation module includes a stationary structure including a hub having a plurality of portals spaced radially around an outer cylindrical surface of the hub, and a rotating structure that attaches to the outer cylindrical surface of the hub using rotatable attachment members to rotate about an axis in relation to the hub. The rotating structure includes a platform that attaches to the rotatable attachment members and is configured to revolve around the outer cylindrical surface of the hub on the rotatable attachment members. The rotating structure also includes a gravity chamber that attaches to the platform, and projects radially from the axis. A drive mechanism is configured to rotate the rotating structure about the axis in relation to the hub to simulate a gravitational force within the gravity chamber.

A habitation module that provides an artificial gravity environment. In one embodiment, the habitation module includes a stationary structure including a hub having a plurality of portals spaced radially around an outer cylindrical surface of the hub, and a rotating structure that attaches to the outer cylindrical surface of the hub using rotatable attachment members to rotate about an axis in relation to the hub. The rotating structure includes a platform that attaches to the rotatable attachment members and is configured to revolve around the outer cylindrical surface of the hub on the rotatable attachment members. The rotating structure also includes a gravity chamber that attaches to the platform, and projects radially from the axis. A drive mechanism is configured to rotate the rotating structure about the axis in relation to the hub to simulate a gravitational force within the gravity chamber.