Stud-propelling mechanisms for securing a launch vehicle to a landing platform, and associated systems and methods, are disclosed. A representative system includes a fastening mechanism carried by a landing support element of a portion of a launch vehicle, the mechanism configured to fasten the landing support element to the landing surface when the launch vehicle portion is on the landing surface. The fastening mechanism can include a barrel structure for propelling a stud and an interference portion positioned to receive the stud upon activation of an energetic material that propels the stud. The stud can bind in the interference portion and in the landing surface to fasten the landing support element to the landing surface. A representative method includes automatically fastening a portion of a launch vehicle to a landing surface using a stud carried by the portion of the launch vehicle.

Systems and methods for securing an upright rocket. The rocket may be on a moveable platform, such as a landing area of a ship. The rocket may land on the deck, and the system may include cables that surround the landing area. The cables may be tightened about the rocket after the rocket has landed in an upright position. The system may include poles that telescope upward, such that the cables may tighten about the upright rocket at various heights along the body of the rocket.

A rocket landing stabilization system can include one or more upright support structures such as posts, columns, or walls, from which one or more stabilizing elements can be supported. The stabilizing elements can be used to stabilize a rocket as it lands at a landing site. The rocket landing stabilization system can also include a cradle, funnel, or cone to catch or otherwise support a rocket as it lands at the landing site. The rocket landing stabilization system can be located on land or at sea.

A rocket landing stabilization system can include one or more upright support structures such as posts, columns, or walls, from which one or more stabilizing elements can be supported. The stabilizing elements can be used to stabilize a rocket as it lands at a landing site. The rocket landing stabilization system can also include a cradle, funnel, or cone to catch or otherwise support a rocket as it lands at the landing site. The rocket landing stabilization system can be located on land or at sea.

This disclosure describes various techniques and systems for rapid low-cost access to suborbital and orbital space and accommodation of acceleration of sensitive payloads to space. For example, a distributed gas injection system may be used in a ram accelerator to launch multiple payloads through the atmosphere. Additionally or alternatively, multiple projectiles may assemble during flight through the atmosphere to transfer and/or resources to another projectile.

An offshore rocket transport and launch method includes S1: assembling a rocket horizontally; S2: loading the assembled rocket as a whole into a transport cage; S3: transporting, by a transport vehicle, the transport cage loaded with the rocket to a wharf by land horizontal transport; S4: transferring the transport cage loaded with the rocket to a transport ship, and transporting the transport cage loaded with the rocket to an offshore rocket launch pad by sea transport; S5: hoisting, by a hoisting device, the transport cage loaded with the rocket to the rocket launch pad; S6: opening the transport cage, transferring the rocket to a launching position, and hoisting the transport cage away from the rocket launch pad; and S7: launching the rocket. The method effectively facilitates the offshore rocket transport and launch process, and prevents the rocket from being affected by the external environment during the launch process.

Method and apparatus to efficiently launch spacecraft from underwater. Unfortunately, the prior art processes of launching spacecraft from sea either make no use of water buoyancy or waste use rocket fuel to overcome water resistance. As a result, payloads are smaller than are ideal. The instant invention however adds water buoyancy to increase the overall thrust of the spacecraft and therefore makes the spacecraft more efficient than if launched outside of water.

Utter system for multiple use of the space-rockets equipped with spreadable-arms and possibly more devices, and method of these space-rockets vertical landing by hanging on landing-station having movable gantries and more apparatus. The space-rockets can have steering flaps, a dividable sectional-load-cover, a sliding-engines-cover having jalousies. The landing-station can be on land or can be deck-mounted on ship. The landing-station must have the movable gantries and can have hangers and grasping-wagons. The hangers can have rotating-wedges. The gantries can have damping-wagons. On landing-station can land and be fasten a few space-rockets in short time intervals. The ship can comprise a few joined hulls, horizontally movable-decks, ballasting-wagons. The utter system can comprise a harbor terminal for space-rockets reload and launch and which can have movable ground-gantries and ground-crane. The utter system allows that the space-rockets can liftoff from two movable gantries whilst these space-rockets vertically hang on their spreadable-arms.

A rocket landing stabilization system can include one or more upright support structures such as posts, columns, or walls, from which one or more stabilizing elements can be supported. The stabilizing elements can be used to stabilize a rocket as it lands at a landing site. The rocket landing stabilization system can also include a cradle, funnel, or cone to catch or otherwise support a rocket as it lands at the landing site. The rocket landing stabilization system can be located on land or at sea.

A rocket landing stabilization system can include one or more upright support structures such as posts, columns, or walls, from which one or more stabilizing elements can be supported. The stabilizing elements can be used to stabilize a rocket as it lands at a landing site. The rocket landing stabilization system can also include a cradle, funnel, or cone to catch or otherwise support a rocket as it lands at the landing site. The rocket landing stabilization system can be located on land or at sea.