A stage of a space launcher including an engine core, a tank secured above the engine core, and a nozzle including a first deployable nozzle section secured below the engine core, the nozzle further including a second and a third section configured to be situated extending from each other when the nozzle is in a deployed propulsion configuration. The stage further includes a structure for temporarily supporting nozzle sections mounted on the tank, configured to change the nozzle to a configuration for accessing the engine core wherein the nozzle sections are inserted into each other, with the third section bearing against a lower support of the temporary structure.

An airship includes a capsule and an external structure attached to the capsule and extending vertically above an upper portion of the capsule. A plurality of gas balloons are secured to the external structure and hold a lighter-than-air lifting gas. The volume of lifting gas in the plurality of balloons is at least a sufficient volume to lift the airship into the stratosphere. The airship may also include a first boom and second boom that extend horizontally outward from a lower portion of the capsule. The booms each include a weight or cargo container at a far end to assist in balancing and stabilizing the airship. The number and/or the sizes of the gas balloons may be adjusted and configured to obtain the volume of lifting gas needed to lift the airship to a desired altitude above the Earth.

A dimpled spherical storage unit is described in the form of a cargo ball. The cargo ball includes a spherical exterior surface and a plurality of dimples in a pattern on the exterior surface. At least a first cover is configured to extend outward from the center of the cargo ball and at least a first thruster is configured to be deployed from the cargo ball.

A spacecraft docking station is adapted to facilitate docking of spacecraft within outer space. According to one example, a spacecraft docking station may include a frame enclosing an area, and a net-like mesh coupled to the frame and filling the area enclosed by the frame. An autonomous robot may be coupled to the net-like mesh. One or more vessels may be coupled to the frame and/or the net-like mesh, where the one or more vessels include a propulsion mechanism. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also included.

The system and method for decelerating space objects moving at high velocities are provided. The system comprises at least one closed volume containing a combination of gas, liquid, solid particles, or a mixture thereof. The volume can be transported to the targeted location using a range of means, including a chemical gun, light gas gun, electromagnetic coil gun, superconducting quench gun, a rocket, or a combination thereof. The volume is strategically positioned on the trajectory of the moving object. Upon penetrating the walls of the volume, the object passes through it, experiencing deceleration.

A projectile for firing from a launcher includes a propulsion stage having non-axisymmetric boosters arranged about a longitudinal axis of the propulsion stage. The propulsion stage may further include a central booster about which the non-axisymmetric boosters are arranged.

A guided vehicle that includes a body, a propulsion system operably engaged inside of the body, a housing operably engaged with the body and encasing a guidance device inside of the housing, a viewing window of the guidance device, and a cover moveably engaged with the housing, wherein the cover is moveable between a pre-flight configuration and a flight configuration. In the pre-flight configuration, the cover covers the viewing window. In the flight configuration, the cover is configured to expose the viewing window in the flight configuration in response to an impulse of acceleration generated by a launch of the guided vehicle.

A propulsion stage for a launch rocket, the propulsion stage comprising: a rocket body having a longitudinal axis; at least one recoil propulsion unit acting substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, wherein a liquid propellant is supplyable to the at least one recoil propulsion unit from at least one propellant tank through at least one fuel pump; and a plurality of rotor assemblies, each drivable by a rotor drive including at least one motor, wherein the at least one motor of at least one of the rotor drives is configured to selectively drive at least one of the rotor assemblies and/or the at least one fuel pump of the at least one recoil propulsion unit.

An airship includes a capsule and an external structure attached to the capsule and extending vertically above an upper portion of the capsule. A plurality of gas balloons are secured to the external structure and hold a lighter-than-air lifting gas. The volume of lifting gas in the plurality of balloons is at least a sufficient volume to lift the airship into the stratosphere. The airship may also include a first boom and second boom that extend horizontally outward from a lower portion of the capsule. The booms each include a weight or cargo container at a far end to assist in balancing and stabilizing the airship. The number and/or the sizes of the gas balloons may be adjusted and configured to obtain the volume of lifting gas needed to lift the airship to a desired altitude above the Earth.

A superconductive, electromagnetic launch system is implemented on a stratospheric airship. The launcher includes a plurality of twisted cylinders, wherein each of the plurality of cylinders has an infinity-type shape or other shape including one or two lobes. The lobes of the plurality of cylinders are aligned, and adjacent cylinders are connected by a bridge to form one continuous guideway. Superconducting coils are positioned external to a bore in the guideway and generate a magnetic field or flux within the bore that levitates and propels the vessel. A cooling system cools the superconducting coils to a transition temperature at which one or more superconducting materials in the plurality of coils transition to a superconducting state. The vessel is accelerated in the guideway and launched from a stratospheric altitude of the airship at a velocity necessary to reach space.