SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES FOR LAUNCHING SPACE VEHICLES USING MAGNETIC LEVITATION, LINEAR ACCELERATION THERMAL ENERGY SCAVENGING, AND WATER STEAM ROCKETS

Abstract

In broad embodiment, the present invention is a collection of systems, methods, and devices that describe a magnetic levitation linear accelerator driven hypersonic sled, magnetically coupled to a reusable Space Plane Launch Vehicle, which are accelerated to hypersonic speeds at sea-level altitude, thereby generating a hypersonic thermal shockwave of substantial energy which is then scavenged by methods and devices within the Space Plane Launch Vehicle, allowing it convert a distilled liquid water steam fuel payload, on a controlled basis, into supercritical steam exhaust and then use this supercritical steam exhaust for thrust continuing acceleration, using only electricity and distilled water as consumables and leaving only water vapor as a direct exhaust.

Claims

1. Systems, methods, and devices for horizontal, sea level launching of space vehicles comprising: a magnetic levitation rail system; an optional rail enclosure and atmosphere reduction system; a magnetically levitated hypersonic sled/carrier; an optional hypersonic sled vehicle carrier and external fuel source; a reusable Space Plane Launch Vehicle (SPLV) device; a magnetic linear acceleration system; a Thermal Scavenging system; and a modulated supercritical steam rocket.

2. Method for conducting Thermal Scavenging, a means of converting the heat of a hypersonic shockwave into thrust, comprising: a leading-edge hypersonic airfoil design that projects shockwave a precise distance away from the physical leading edge; a leading-edge material that can withstand extreme heat and dynamic pressure while maintaining excellent heat conductivity; an inner and outer wall for the leading-edge, with a gas or fluid filled cavity between the inner and outer wall of the leading-edge; a system of devices for transporting thermal laden gas or fluid from the leading-edge cavities to the rear boiler chamber; a double-walled boiler chamber with a cavity between the outer wall and the inner chamber, where the thermal laden gas or fluid will transfer heat via conductance to; a surface area optimized heat transfer chamber that is cooled with lower temperature liquid water steam fuel, by; a water flow control system, that modulates liquid water steam fuel to the boiler chamber; a system of devices for transporting the now cooled off gas or fluid from the boiler chamber cavities to the front leading-edge cavities, creating a thermal loop, and; a modulated rocket system that allows controlled release of supercritical exhaust created in the boiler chamber from the liquid water steam fuel to produce rocket thrust.

3. Systems, methods, and devices for conducting zero carbon emission sustainable space launch of durable goods into Low Earth Orbit, consisting: a space plane launch system, as defined in claim 1; a renewable source of electricity, such as solar, hydro, geo, wind, tide, or other renewable source; a renewable source of water, for purification or desalination, where it is distilled into liquid water steam fuel using said renewable source of electricity, and; renewable powered used at the launch facility and launch rail, resulting in an orbital launch methodology that is sustainable, with zero carbon emissions, and with a sole greenhouse gas emission of water vapor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIG. 1 is a side view of the total system in practice, with marked stages of operation;

[0011] FIG. 2 is a top-down perspective view of the Space Plane Launch Vehicle;

[0012] FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG. 2;

[0013] FIG. 4 is a front view of FIG. 2;

[0014] FIG. 5 is a top view of different stages of magnetic levitation linear accelerator rail;

[0015] FIG. 6 is a front view of magnetic levitation linear accelerator rail with space plane launch vehicle sled and cradle;

[0016] FIG. 7 is a front view of the magnetic levitation linear accelerator sled mounted with cradle and space plane launch vehicle on the magnetic levitation linear accelerator rail.

[0017] FIG. 8 is a side detail view of the three stages of thermal energy scavenging.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS

[0018] 10 Space Plane Launch Vehicle [0019] 12 Magnetic Levitation Linear Induction Rail System [0020] 14 Launch Stage [0021] 20 Leading Edge Thermal Shield Airfoil [0022] 22 Thermal Transport System [0023] 24 Boiler Chamber [0024] 26 Steam Exhaust Thrust Control System [0025] 28 Distilled Liquid Water Steam Storage [0026] 30 Water Flow Controller [0027] 40 Cargo Bay [0028] 42 Cargo Bay Doors [0029] 50 Magnetic Levitation Rail Bed [0030] 52 Magnetic Levitation Electromagnets [0031] 54 Sled Stabilizer Electromagnets [0032] 60 Space Plane Launch Vehicle Accelerator Sled [0033] 62 Space Plane Launch Vehicle Sled Cradle (optional) [0034] 70 Supersonic Thermal Shockwave [0035] 72 Hypersonic Thermal Shockwave

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0036] Referring now to the invention in more detail, in FIG. 1, there is shown side view time lapse visualization of the Space Plane Launch Vehicle 10, on a Magnetic Levitation Linear Accelerator Rail System 12, displaying five phases of launch 14 (A-E). Stage A is from stand-still to supersonic speeds. Stage B is from supersonic to hyper sonic speeds. Stage C is post hypersonic and beginning of additional steam rocket power. Stage D is decoupling from launch sled and free flight course correction burn to escape vector. Stage E is full power burn to escape velocity and orbital insertion. A variety of attitude and vector changes may occur on any of these stages to maximize efficiency.

[0037] In FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4 there is shown the Space Plane Launch Vehicle from a Top View, Side View, and Front View respectively. Contained within the Space Plane Launch Vehicle are Leading Edge Thermal Shield Airfoils 20 on the leading edges of both wings and the nose region, a Thermal Heat Transport system 22, which connects the Thermal Shield Airfoils 20 to the Boiler Chamber 24, which provides the extra energy to the liquid water steam fuel, sourced from the Distilled Liquid Water Steam Storage 28 by the Water Flow Controller 30, and the super-critical steam generated is directed out an exhaust nozzle via the Steam Exhaust Thrust Control System 26. Once orbital altitude is reached, the Cargo Bay Doors 42 open, exposing the Cargo Bay 40 for cargo removal.

[0038] In FIG. 5 there is shown three different stages of the Magnetic Levitation Linear Induction Rail System 50 (A-C), showing ever greater spacing of the Magnetic Levitation Electromagnets 52, while consistent spacing for the Sled Stabilizer Electromagnets 54 is demonstrated across the three stages (A-C).

[0039] In FIG. 6 there is a front view cut away of the Magnetic Levitation Linear Induction Rail System 50, and the Space Plane Launch Vehicle Accelerator Sled 60 with the Space Plane Launch Vehicle Sled Cradle 62 shown for reference.

[0040] In FIG. 7 there is displayed a similar front view of the Magnetic Levitation Linear Induction Rail System 50 as is displayed in FIG. 6, but with the addition of the Space Plane Launch Vehicle 10, and the Space Plane Launch Vehicle Accelerator Sled 60 and Space Plane Launch Vehicle Sled Cradle 62 assembled together and placed on the rail system.

[0041] In FIG. 8 there is shown the three main stages of the method for thermal energy scavenging utilizing the Space Plane Launch Vehicle 10, on the three stages of Magnetic Levitation Linear Induction Rail System 50 (A-C) with the resultant Supersonic Thermal Shockwave 70 for stage (B) and Hypersonic Thermal Shockwave for stage (C).

[0042] The basis of the invention rest upon several natural principles: A) Magnetic Levitation, B) Magnetic Linear Accelerators (a method of accelerating mass with electrical power), C) supersonic and hypersonic atmospheric thermal shockwaves, D) unique properties of supersonic and hypersonic airfoils, E) the fundamental principles of Thermal Conduction, Induction, and Radiation, F) unusual properties of high temperature conductive alloys, G) Boyle's Law and Charles's Law relating to gasses, and H) traditional Rocket Science.

[0043] Magnetic Levitation is a technique where an object is supported entirely by magnetic fields, usually generated by electromagnets. The repulsion of magnetic forces, following Lenz's Law, provide for contactless and stable positioning. This invention utilizes Magnetic Levitation for Space Plane Launch Vehicle Accelerator Sled positioning on the Magnetic Levitation Linear Induction Rail System.

[0044] Magnetic Linear Accelerators have been in use since the invention of electromagnets, and convert magnetic energy into kinetic energy by relying on the strength of opposing magnetic fields to cause a magnetic chain reaction to launch an object at high speed. The Magnetic Linear Accelerator is built into the Magnetic Levitation Linear Induction Rail System, with each successive Magnetic Levitation Electromagnet also providing a pulling acceleration growing ever greater in strength as the Space Plane Launch Vehicle Accelerator Sled approaches, and turns off to collapse its magnetic field just as the sled passes over. As the sled travels faster and faster, the timing and power of the electromagnets will need to be adjusted, as conversion of electromagnetic energy into kinetic energy takes time. As the sled moves faster, it will have less time exposed to each individual electromagnet, so to provide for even acceleration and optimal power use, electromagnet drivers will be spaced further and further apart, while growing stronger in field strength. The three primary stages of linear acceleration are (A) from full stop to supersonic speeds, (B) from supersonic to hypersonic speeds, and (C) faster than hypersonic. While at full stop, gravity will be pulling the sled assembly down to the tracks and magnetic repulsion will be keeping the sled assembly from touching, but as the craft goes faster and faster, the airfoil will begin to exhibit lift and will attempt to increase altitude. The stabilizer electromagnets will keep the sled pushed down against the repulse fields of the magnetic levitation drivers at first, and then will keep the sled from flying off because of the lift forces on the Space Plane Launch Vehicle. At hypersonic speeds, and when the electromagnet drivers are becoming spaced further and further apart, the steam rocket will kick in, keeping thrust constant or accelerating.

[0045] From the dawn of supersonic flight, engineers have had to contend with shockwaves formed from excessive air compression at the leading edges of airfoils. Moving up to hypersonic speeds, the shockwaves produce very high temperatures corresponding to the level of compression of the atmosphere, which at very high speeds of thousands of miles per hour, can reach temperatures in the thousands of degrees centigrade. Thermal failure of critical components was common in early test flights and is still of paramount concern. This invention is novel in that it uses this thermal energy to power acceleration, where all prior spacecraft and aircraft others simply try to mitigate it.

[0046] As part of the efforts to mitigate supersonic and hypersonic shockwaves, a wide variety of airfoils have been developed that exhibit useful properties like the ability to keep harmful shockwaves projected at some distance away from the physical airframes of the craft, and as an example, it was a feature of the Space Shuttle's airfoil that kept super-heated air plasma projected away from the surface of the shuttle, and it was a failure of the airfoil, due to physical surface changes on the Space Shuttle that occurred from missing ceramic tiles that had become dislodged during launch. The ability to modify exactly where the thermal shockwave will occur is critical to this invention, as the thermal shockwave will be focused near to thermal shielding of the Space Plane Launch Vehicle mounted on the leading edges of the wings and nose.

[0047] Accordingly, by the fundamental principles of Thermal Conduction, Induction, and Radiation, thermal energy concentrated on the thermal shielding/heat sinks on the leading edges of the wing and nose of the Space Plane Launch Vehicle, can be transported via a network of heat pumps and thermal transport systems, which are all connected to the boiler chamber, keeping the boiler chamber at over 1,000 degrees centigrade, even as it is converting liquid water steam fuel into super-critical steam exhaust. The entire thermal transport system, and boiler will be pre-heated to operating temperature via magnetic or electric induction immediately prior to launch, and will only have less than a minute or two to cool down before being refreshed with thermal energy from the hypersonic shockwave. As long as velocity is maintained, or increased as atmospheric density decreases, the hypersonic shockwave will transmit mega joules in energy to the boiler.

[0048] By adding distilled liquid water steam to the boiler chamber, the principles of Boyle's Law and Charles's Law relating to gasses come into play, in that the heat energy will cause the liquid water steam to convert to a super-critical steam, and would easily cause the entire craft to explode with great force if it were not for a controlled exhaust system combined with an actuated nozzle allowing control of thrust. By adding only an appropriate amount of liquid water steam fuel, at an appropriate time, the super critical steam exhaust pressure can be maintained at a consistent level providing consistent thrust.

[0049] The calculations for mass flow rate over time are the foundations of rocket science, and at this stage, the invention performs like a simple rocket producing thrust which translates into a specific impulse. Using the aerodynamic control surfaces of the Space Plane Launch Vehicle allow it to attain an escape vector, and the actuated rocket nozzle allows for adjustments once there is insufficient atmospheric pressure which will leave the aerodynamic control surfaces useless, along with an array of maneuvering thrusters mounted on the Space Plane Launch Vehicle.

[0050] The advantages of the present invention include, without limitation, that it dramatically reduces the cost and environmental impact for transporting high volumes of durable goods into Earth orbit, while greatly increasing the total volume of materials that Humanity can put into orbit, enabling the creation of much larger space projects then have heretofore not been possible. Large interplanetary spacecraft, orbital colonies, staging areas for Moon and Mars colonies and more will all require huge volumes of building materials, oxygen, water, food stuffs, and other durable goods, and the primary purpose of this invention is to provide the systems, methods, and devices for making these endeavors possible.

[0051] The Space Plane Launch Vehicle represents a refinement over past space plane inventions like the Space Shuttle and the X-37b, which are both launched vertically from conventional rockets. This invention presents an entirely novel way to achieve escape velocity, starting horizontally at sea level, harnessing the very energy that other craft need to mitigate. By using only electricity to both pre-heat the thermal systems of the Space Plane Launch Vehicle, and for launching it via the Magnetic Levitation Linear Accelerator Rail, the environmental impact of the Megawatt power generation facility is tied directly to how the power is generated. Nuclear power will generate no carbon footprint, but has the associated radiation issues. Solar power will also generate no carbon footprint, but the environmental impact of a solar power farm would need to be considered. By using only liquid water steam as fuel mass, the exhaust will be super-critical steam, which will convert almost instantly into water vapor. The entire system will be essentially be a cloud generator and could possibly change the albedo of the area where it is constructed and could also change the local weather patterns if used at full potential, bringing higher humidity, more cloud cover, and rain.

[0052] While the invention will most likely not be suitable for delicate cargo, like instruments, electronics, and biologics/crew, it is very suitable for items like space construction tubing, space construction plating, radiation shielding, fuel, batteries, storage tanks, pipes and fittings, oxygen, water, foodstuffs, heavy tools, and a myriad of other durable goods that would be required in orbit if Mankind is to make a serious attempt to move into Space.

[0053] The invention would come at great financial cost, as it would require dozens of linear miles of dedicated land for the launch facility, which would also serve as a landing facility as it would need to be built by a large body of water. It would require the construction of a multi-hundred megawatts power generation facility and the construction of the most powerful, level, and precise magnetic levitation linear accelerator ever created. The Space Plane Launch Vehicle would be expensive to engineer, but the per-unit cost would be very reasonable, with the most significant cost being the metal alloys that made up the thermal shield/heat sinks, thermal transport system, and boiler, and the exotic materials used to make the majority of the hull. Once constructed, however, it would be, by far, the cheapest way, per ton, to launch durable goods into orbit and would have the smallest possible environmental impact, certainly much smaller than common methods used today.