After deploying its payload, the final stage of a launch vehicle is maneuvered to couple the nosecone of the launch vehicle to the ‘rear’, or ‘engine-end’ of the final stage. The nosecone covers the engine of the final stage, to protect the engine and related components from the heat of re-entry and the impact of landing. Placing the nosecone over the engine and orienting the combination such that the nosecone ‘leads’ the final stage during re-entry, places the center of gravity of the combination ahead of the center of pressure in the direction of travel. Accordingly, the combination is inherently stable as it re-enters the atmosphere and falls to earth. Parachutes and directional devices are used to provide a controlled soft landing.

After deploying its payload, the final stage of a launch vehicle is maneuvered to couple the nosecone of the launch vehicle to the ‘rear’, or ‘engine-end’ of the final stage. The nosecone covers the engine of the final stage, to protect the engine and related components from the heat of re-entry and the impact of landing. Placing the nosecone over the engine and orienting the combination such that the nosecone ‘leads’ the final stage during re-entry, places the center of gravity of the combination ahead of the center of pressure in the direction of travel. Accordingly, the combination is inherently stable as it re-enters the atmosphere and falls to earth. Parachutes and directional devices are used to provide a controlled soft landing.

A cooling apparatus (100) cools a heat-generating instrument, such as an electronic instrument (2), installed in an installation apparatus. The cooling apparatus (100) includes a refrigerant flow path configured circularly by sequentially connecting a pump (1) that circulates a refrigerant in a liquid state, a cooler (3) that cools the heat-generating instrument with the refrigerant, and a radiator (5) that cools the refrigerant. The cooling apparatus (100) includes a discharge-side heat exchanger (7) provided in a flow path from the pump (1) to the cooler (3) in the refrigerant flow path, a suction-side heat exchanger (8) provided in a flow path from the radiator (5) to the pump (1) in the refrigerant flow path, and a Peltier device (9) that is provided between the discharge-side heat exchanger (7) and the suction-side heat exchanger (8), and transfers heat from the refrigerant flowing through the suction-side heat exchanger (8) to the refrigerant flowing through the discharge-side heat exchanger (7).

A cooling apparatus (100) cools a heat-generating instrument, such as an electronic instrument (2), installed in an installation apparatus. The cooling apparatus (100) includes a refrigerant flow path configured circularly by sequentially connecting a pump (1) that circulates a refrigerant in a liquid state, a cooler (3) that cools the heat-generating instrument with the refrigerant, and a radiator (5) that cools the refrigerant. The cooling apparatus (100) includes a discharge-side heat exchanger (7) provided in a flow path from the pump (1) to the cooler (3) in the refrigerant flow path, a suction-side heat exchanger (8) provided in a flow path from the radiator (5) to the pump (1) in the refrigerant flow path, and a Peltier device (9) that is provided between the discharge-side heat exchanger (7) and the suction-side heat exchanger (8), and transfers heat from the refrigerant flowing through the suction-side heat exchanger (8) to the refrigerant flowing through the discharge-side heat exchanger (7).

A thermal protection systems of a deployable aerodynamic decelerators includes a high temperature flexible insulation that utilizes a Flexible Gas Barrier (FGB) configured on an outside layer of a Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator-Thermal Protective System (HIAD F-TPS). The high temperature flexible insulation includes high temperature fibers and frits that melt upon exposure to elevated temperatures to prevent advection through the thickness of the high temperature flexible insulation. A coating may also be configured on an outside surface of the high temperature flexible insulation to also prevent advection. The frits may be configured through the thickness with different melting temperatures.

A thermal protection systems of a deployable aerodynamic decelerators includes a high temperature flexible insulation that utilizes a Flexible Gas Barrier (FGB) configured on an outside layer of a Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator-Thermal Protective System (HIAD F-TPS). The high temperature flexible insulation includes high temperature fibers and frits that melt upon exposure to elevated temperatures to prevent advection through the thickness of the high temperature flexible insulation. A coating may also be configured on an outside surface of the high temperature flexible insulation to also prevent advection. The frits may be configured through the thickness with different melting temperatures.

Systems and methods for a fully reusable upper stage for a multi-stage launch vehicle are provided. The reusable upper stage uses an aerospike engine for main propulsion and for vertical landing. A heat shield can include a plurality of scarfed nozzles embedded radially around a semi-spherical surface of the heat shield, wherein inboard surfaces of the plurality of scarfed nozzles collectively define an aerospike contour. The heat shield can be actively cooled to dissipate heat encountered during reentry of the upper stage.

Systems and methods for a fully reusable upper stage for a multi-stage launch vehicle are provided. The reusable upper stage uses an aerospike engine for main propulsion and for vertical landing. A heat shield can include a plurality of scarfed nozzles embedded radially around a semi-spherical surface of the heat shield, wherein inboard surfaces of the plurality of scarfed nozzles collectively define an aerospike contour. The heat shield can be actively cooled to dissipate heat encountered during reentry of the upper stage.

A spacecraft panel includes a first skin, a second skin spaced apart from the first skin, and a first truss structure connecting the first skin to the second skin. The first truss structure includes a plurality of truss members, and each truss member is integral with the first skin and the second skin, such that the first skin, the second skin, and the first truss structure collectively form a single monolithic joint-free structure.

A spacecraft panel includes a first skin, a second skin spaced apart from the first skin, and a first truss structure connecting the first skin to the second skin. The first truss structure includes a plurality of truss members, and each truss member is integral with the first skin and the second skin, such that the first skin, the second skin, and the first truss structure collectively form a single monolithic joint-free structure.