Trans-orbital freight and passenger carrier apparatuses supporting trans-orbital pipeline operations

Abstract

This invention is pioneering a Strategic Trans-orbital Carrier (herein called a carrier’) which merges the technologies attributes of a plurality commercial jet engines with a plurality reusable rocket engines to provide capabilities permitting a smooth computer-controlled transition from terrestrial air space to insertion into and thru low earth orbit (LEO) and into high geostationary earth orbit (GEO). A carrier would return back to terrestrial air space with carrying approximately 60 tons of any type of customers' defined cargo and passengers which would include intermodal container modules, complete DoD military strategic devices; heavy industrial outfitting apparatuses; building components for infrastructure complexes; personnel and robots; and space defensive materials to an in-situ space complex. With a fleet of carriers', a routine commercial services becomes available that are built to and guided by FAA flight regulations using specific airport with runways greater than 8,000 feet and that can handle a carriers weight.

Claims

1. A device that is a Strategic Transorbital Carrier aircraft comprising of two partitions with the upper partition used by the flight crew and cargo while the lower partition will house two different propulsion systems, two different fuel systems, hydraulic systems and a robust landing gear systems providing a method to lift approximately 60 tons or greater of cargo for insertion into deep space with the capability to return to earth for a controlled safe landing to an assigned terrestrial airstrip.

2. Method of claim 1 wherein is to achieve the insertion and return from deep space that is directly managed by an integration of flight, space communication and navigation (SCaN) computers that orchestrate the physical reconfiguration from a terrestrial airframe structure into a cleaner aerodynamic structure that will withstand the extreme transorbital environmental conditions.

3. Method of claim 2 is a plurality complex of mechanisms orchestrated flight computers that extend and retract the four jet propulsion engines that are housed within the airframe structure engine bay to reconfigure the Mover for its flight profile.

4. Method of claim 3 is that the four jet propulsion engines fuel tanks shall be capable of being replenished with the standard in-flight refueling (IFR) method using aircraft comparable to a KC-135 to extend the terrestrial range of a Carrier to land.

5. Method of claim 1 wherein an array of various types of bulk and palletized cargo too approximately 60 tons or greater that can be easily rolled into position and locked down in the cargo area for transorbital and return shipment.

6. Method of claim 1 wherein as the capability of carrying a plurality of intermodal containers of deigns, shapes, dimensions, types and contents that is determined by the builder with participation with owner or users mission profile.

7. Method of claim 5 wherein is the intermodal containers can be placed on either the first and/or second floor level of a carrier.

8. Method of claim 5 wherein carries intermodal containers and all cargo to be loaded and unloaded from the rear of a carrier under the direction of a load master.

9. Method of claim 8 is that while in space that all cargo and intermodals being removed or place in the Carrier shall be handled and managed either by remote or human controlled space tugs bringing these items to the in-situ location.

10. Method of claim 2 is a carriers' internal structural walls shall provide the maximum about of radiation protection and other types and levels of human protection from the space environment regardless of mission duration and destination.

11. Method of claim 1 is a carrier shall be capable performing in all normal commercial weather flight conditions for either landing or takeoff from approved runways to achieve the approximate 50,000-ft insertion altitude, as specified by the builder.

12. Method of claim 1 is a carrier shall be capable of being fully maintained in orbit whether by robot and/or humans.

13. Method of claim 2 is a carrier shall remain in continuous orbit to serve and configured intermodals as a rescue craft supporting all infrastructures, spacecraft, the NASA space station or used those methods required by the owning business entity

14. Method of claim 1 is a carrier while in space shall be capable of being totally reconfigured according to owners' specifications into a spacecraft to meet mission and destination requirements.

15. Method of claim 13 is a In-Stu Space Rescue carrier assisted by Space Tugs to assist in rescue and recovery missions of persons and critical materials

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG. 1: [Isometric view of the Type A Carrier 1 exhibiting the terrestrial configuration 1, 2 with jet engines 4 extended]

[0032] FIG. 1A: [Multiple Views of the Type A Carrier 1. A Detail A is a front view showing the placement of the forward braking rockets 5. At Detail B, is rear view showing the placement of the six thruster rockets. The isometric view in Detail C shoes placement of fuel cells 7,8 and the engine bays 4.]

[0033] FIG. 2: [Isometric view of the Type B Carrier 1 exhibiting the terrestrial configuration 1, 2 with jet engines 4 embedded inside the wing]

[0034] FIG. 2A: [Multiple Views of the Type B Carrier 1. A Detail A is a front view showing the placement of the forward braking rockets 5. At Detail B, is rear view showing the placement of the six thruster rockets. The isometric view in Detail C shoes placement of fuel cells 7 and 8]

[0035] FIG. 3: [Top view of the placement of a typical passenger intermodal container within any variant of a trans-orbital according to the embodiments of this invention]

[0036] FIG. 3A: [Multiple views of the cargo storage areas with the carrier. The isometric views shows placement of loaded intermodal containers and isometric view of a typical cargo manifest according to the embodiments of this invention]

[0037] FIG. 4: [Pictorial overview illustration of ground operations processing steps of a freight handler moving finished goods from a manufacturer to the loading and departure of a carrier into orbit according to the embodiments of this invention]

[0038] FIG. 5: Pictorial overview illustration of orbital operations of off-loading cargo and performing its primary function according to the embodiments of this invention]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0039] In this present invention, two variants of the trans-orbital freight and passenger carrier apparatuses are illustrated at FIG. 1 for Type A and FIG. 2 for the Type B (herein called a carrier). Both carrier variants share a high degree of systems and fuselage commonality, the major difference is the placement of the jet engines as to increase fuel capacity. Using the same functional characteristics of a Type B carrier, a Type C carrier is physically much smaller and dedicated to trans-orbital passenger service mirroring airliner operations and it internally reconfigured to light freight or mixture of both. These apparatuses primary function is to support the development of a trans-orbital heavy freight logistics and passenger service pipelines.

[0040] This present invention is an improvement over two currently used or in design apparatuses. The first apparatus uses a similar approach to fly a jet engine aircraft to a specific altitude then drop a secondary launch rocketed vehicle to near orbit. It mirrors the first Gemini orbit. Heavy freight operations are not achievable. The apparatus is in the engineering prototype stage using two jet engines that transitions in two rocket engines.

[0041] For this apparatus to perform the desired trans-orbital heavy-lift freight operations several related embodiments are needed. These embodiments are for planning, key structural design criteria needed for its mission profile, and understanding of a carriers intended “end state” mission purposes.

[0042] In the first embodiment, a carrier flight plan criteria is to fly under the plurality of FAA general aviation and commercial division and its related branches regulations and guidelines. By following the FAA regulations, a carrier will be permitted fly in terrestrial airspace and transition for rapid insertion into orbital space [FIG. 4] and its controlled return back into terrestrial airspace for landing at specific runways (patent application 62/176,253). Carrier flight characteristics are managed by flight, space communication and navigation (SCaN) computers that orchestrate a reconfiguration of the Carrier terrestrial structure into a cleaner trans-orbital structure for smooth and safe insertion into geo-synchronous earth orbit to deliver cargo and passengers to a specific orbital in-situ location FIG. 5. At the appropriate altitude where the jet engines can engage, a carrier is reconfigured back into a terrestrial aircraft, designed to land a specific airports to meet DOT/FAA/AR-97/26 regulations, that is capable of landing at predestinated landing strip to deliver cargo and passengers.

[0043] Under the second embodiment, a carrier has infused two distinctive engineering concepts of employing a commercially sustainable and available jet engine technology [4](e.g. GE90-115) and the small set of commercially sustainable and available set of rocket engines 5 (e.g. Chase-10). With two different engines types, the carrier requires two separate fuel cells for standard jet fuel [7], and two cells 8 for one cell stores liquid methane and the second stores Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) respectfully. A set of four jet engine [4] set will achieve an attitude about approximately 45,000 feet and when at appropriate altitude the flight computer ignites six rocket engines affording an additional output of 150,000 pounds of rocket thrust to bring a carrier into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) of appropriately 26,000 miles. Once passed the GTO, the fight computer throttles back to rocket engines going into the in-situ geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO) apogee and commence breaking before arriving at specified construction site 20 or later repurposed to a freight hub [25] locations FIG. 5, appropriately 85,000 miles from earth.

[0044] The third embodiment of a carrier [is] that [it] functions as a truck. This carrier (or truck) is capable lifting afloat and landing at a specific airport with approximately 60 tons of cargo within its cargo area approximately 158,000 cubic feet. The cargo area provides for any combination of open cargo 15, space craft or satellites 17 and any type of intermodal containers 16. A part of this embodiment is the extreme width of a carrier. A carrier width is a critical design element because the open space provides for the transport of an assortment large building panels, structural beams and even wall and flooring completed modular sections to rapidly construct massive facilities, spacecraft and other infrastructures. A prime advantage of passenger intermodals it is engineered to be directly plugged into space facility so passengers are not performing a spacewalk. Simply, it would mimic the way passenger now disembark at a typical airport