PAYLOAD CARRIER ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A payload carrier assembly comprises a payload fairing (1) for protecting at least one payload (3) mounted on at least one payload carrier (20) of a launcher (2), comprising at least one separable fairing part (10, 11) that can be arranged on top of the launcher (2) around the payload (3) to be launched, wherein the payload carrier assembly further comprises at least one first transfer element (4), which is in contact with the at least one fairing part (10, 11) and which, in the assembled state, can be in contact with at least the at least one payload (3) and can transfer forces, applied to the at least one payload (3), to the at least one fairing part (10, 11) and vice versa.

Claims

1. A payload carrier assembly comprising: a payload fairing (1) for protecting at least one payload (3) mounted on at least one payload carrier (20, 21) of a launcher (2), at least one separable fairing part (10, 11) that can be arranged on top of the launcher (2) around the at least one payload (3) to be launched, characterised in that the payload carrier assembly further comprising: at least one first transfer element (4), which is in contact with the at least one fairing part (10, 11) and which, in the assembled state, can be in contact with at least the at least one payload (3) and can transfer forces, applied to the at least one payload (3), to the at least one fairing part (10, 11) and vice versa.

2. The payload carrier assembly according to claim 1, further comprising at least one second transfer element (5), which is in contact with the at least one fairing part (10, 11) and which, in the assembled state, can be in contact with at least one payload carrier (20, 21) and can transfer forces, applied to the payload carrier (20, 21), to the at least one fairing part (10, 11) and vice versa.

3. The payload carrier assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the transfer elements (4, 5) are connected to at least one element selected from the group comprising the at least one payload (3), the at least one payload carrier (20, 21) and the at least one fairing part (10, 11), further comprising at least one separation device, which can separate the connection between the at least one fairing part (10, 11) and the at least one payload (3) and/or between the at least one fairing part (10, 11) and the at least one payload carrier (20, 21) and/or between two payloads (3).

4. The payload carrier assembly according to claim 3, wherein the at least one separation device is arranged on the payload fairing-side and/or on the payload-side of the at least one first transfer element (4).

5. The payload carrier assembly according to claim 3, wherein the at least one separation device is arranged on the payload fairing-side and/or on the payload-side of the at least one second transfer element (5).

6. The payload carrier assembly according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of first transfer elements (4) that are arranged over the height and/or over the circumference of the at least one fairing part (10, 11).

7. The payload carrier assembly according to claim 2, comprising a plurality of second transfer elements (5) that are arranged over the height and/or over the circumference of the at least one fairing part (10, 11).

8. The payload carrier assembly according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of first transfer elements (4) are in contact with the at least one fairing part (10, 11) at a common location.

9. The payload carrier assembly according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of second transfer elements (5) are in contact with the at least one fairing part (10, 11) at a common location.

10. The payload carrier assembly according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of first transfer elements (4) are adapted to be in contact with the at least one payload (3) at a common location.

11. The payload carrier assembly according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of second transfer elements (5) are adapted to be in contact with the at least one payload carrier (20, 21) at a common location.

12. The payload carrier assembly according to claim 2, wherein the at least one first transfer element (4) and/or the at least one second transfer element (5) is rod-shaped, disk-shaped or funnel-shaped or has the shape of a radiused bulkhead.

13. A method for using a payload carrier assembly according to the invention, the method comprising the steps of: arranging a payload (3) on a payload carrier (20, 21) on a launcher (2); arranging at least one payload fairing part (10, 11) around the payload (3); and bringing into contact at least one transfer element (4, 5) on its one free end with the payload (3) and/or with the payload carrier (20, 21) and on its other free end with at least one of the at least one payload fairing parts (10, 11).

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of: providing separation devices at each transfer element (4, 5); and activating the separation devices.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Embodiments of the current invention are described in more detail in the following with reference to the figures. These are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting. It shows

[0028] FIG. 1 a schematic section view of a first embodiment of a payload carrier assembly according to the invention; and

[0029] FIG. 2 a schematic section view of a second embodiment of a payload carrier assembly according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a schematic section view of a first embodiment of a payload carrier assembly according to the invention. The payload carrier assembly comprises a payload fairing 1 that comprises a first fairing part 10 and a second fairing part 11, which can be arranged around a payload 3 that is mounted on a payload carrier 20 that is arranged on the tip of a launcher 2. The fairing parts 10, 11 are essentially dome-shaped. A single payload 3 is centrally mounted to a first payload carrier 20, that is allocated in the centre of the tip of the launcher 2. Alternatively, the payload can be mounted off centre with respect to the launcher's tip. The first payload carrier 20 is designed to be able to receive one single payload 3. First transfer elements 4 connect the fairing parts 10, 11 to the payload 3. In the case of rods, the first transfer elements 4 are arranged on essentially opposite sides with respect to the payload 3 or on top of the payload 3, opposite to the first payload carrier 20. In the case of disks, funnels or bulkheads, the first transfer elements 4 are arranged around the payload 3. A force applied to the payload 3 can be transferred to the first fairing part 10 by means of a first transfer element 4 and by means of another first transfer element 4 to the second fairing part 11. Second transfer elements 5 connect the payload carrier 20 to the fairing parts 10, 11. In case of rods, the second transfer elements 5 are arranged on essentially opposite sides with respect to the payload carrier 20 and in case of disks, funnels or bulkheads, the second transfer element 5 is arranged around the payload carrier. A force applied to the payload carrier 20 can be transferred to the first fairing part 10 by means of a second transfer element 5 and by means of another second transfer element 5 to the second fairing part 11. When the payload 3 needs to be released from the payload carrier 20, for example, typically, when the launcher 2 has left the earth's atmosphere, separation devices can be activated on at least one of the free ends of each first or second transfer element 4, 5. Thereafter or simultaneously, the fairing parts 10, 11 can be separated from each other and from the launcher 2.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a schematic section view of a second embodiment of a payload carrier assembly according to the invention. In contrast to the first embodiment, in the second embodiment, there is a second payload carrier 21, that has a tower-like or tree-like structure, which can receive a plurality of payloads 3. With such an arrangement, several payloads 3 can be arranged over the height and the width of the second payload carrier 21. The payload carrier 21, as well as the payloads 3 can be connected to the payload fairing parts 10, 11 by means of first and second transfer elements 4, 5. Several transfer elements 4, 5 can extend from a common connection at one fairing part 10, to several locations of the payload carrier 21 and/or to one or more payloads 3. Also, several transfer elements 4, 5 can extend from a common connection at the payload carrier 21 and/or at one of the payloads 3 to one of the fairing parts 10, 11. Like in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the first and second transfer elements 4, 5 can be arranged on opposite sides with respect to the payload 3 and/or with respect to the second payload carrier 21 or the transfer elements 4, 5 can be arranged on the payload 3 and/or on the payload carrier 21 on the opposite side of the launcher's tip. In the case of disks, funnels or bulkheads, the first and or second transfer elements 4, 5 are arranged around the payload 3 and/or around the payload carrier 21.

TABLE-US-00001 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Payload fairing 3 Payload 10 first fairing part 4 first transfer element 11 second fairing part 5 second transfer element 2 Launcher 20 first payload carrier 21 second payload carrier