CA2428883A1 - Atmospheric reentry lander vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention is a device with three thrust or propulsion systems, the first a counter-rotating multiple rotor lifting arrangement designed to lift the vehicle within the atmosphere from the ground, the second a main thruster rocket for exit from the earth's atmosphere and the third, an ion drive system for propulsion in space and out of the planet's atmosphere. The device has four counter rotating airfoils located at each comer of the device and a central main thruster rocket. Each of the airfoils wings forming part of the counter-rotating fixed wings may be repositioned from a horizontal to vertical mode and subject to an electric charge, which electric charge attracts and then when ceasing, releases ions, resulting in ion pulse propelling the vehicle in outer space.

Description

ATMOSPHERIC REENTRY LANDER VEHICLE
This vehicle is designed to lift off from a planet's surface through the atmosphere, exit the atmosphere and travel between planets and reentet and land on another planet_ The device consists of three propulsion systems, the first counter-rotating airfoils, the second a thruster rocket and the third, a pulsed ion drive.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention is a mode of transportation for manned and unmanned aerospace vehicles. It has three propufsion systems, each designed for a particular purpose, the first the lift-off of any surface within a planet's atmosphere, the second to exit the atmosphere and the third for travel in space between planets.
The first propulsion system consists of counter-rotating airfoils numbering four, located at each corner of the device, each with 2 two-blade airfoils rotating in apposite directions. This is used for general lift-off within the earth's atmosphere. Steering is by lateral rocket.
There is a main thruster rocket for exit from the earth's~atmosphere_.
Finally,~there is a pulsed ion drive using electronic energy to attract and then release. ions between the airfoils which have been fixed in a vertical manner p~opelling'the vehiiele.

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DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
There are no pulsed ion space drives to date.
There have been examples of counter-rotating drives for aircraft, for example, Canadian Patent No.
201~7~4 to Franz Bucher, however, no one to date has combined four counter rotating airfoils in a straight lifting arrangement to permit atmospheric lifting. Thruster rockets have not to date been combined with counter rotating drives of pulsed ion space drives.
No one to date has combined a pulsed ions space drive in the same airfoils.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a device to provide means for transportation from a planet surface or planetary atmosphere into space and then re-entry and re-landing on another planet or at the same planet within the planetary atmosphere.
The device consists of four counter-rotating airfoils located at each corner of the device providing for lift within the atmosphere. These are mounted by a shaft to an engine or mode of drive within the main body of the vehicle at each comer. The drive is attached by a vertical shaft to 2 fiwo-blade airfoils -the upper airfoil rotating in one direction and the Ivwer airfoil rotating in the other direction.
There is a counter-rotating gear mechanism contained on the shaft between the upper and lower airfoils, changing the direction of the shaft and drive.
Each of the airfoils has a plurality of flaps or deflectable control surfaces, disposed along the trailing edge, which, when raised up or down during rotation to control the direction of the flight and altitude of craft within the atmosphere by deflecting the flow of air over the airfoils. The flaps can be raised or towered mechanically or electrically.
Each of the upper airfoils may be folded upwards into a vertical position, ~nifiich positiori the airfoils in parallel and separated at predetermined spacing from each other. Each of these upper airfoils coniain electrodes that extend along them connected to electrical AC motor or a method of generating an a(temating (AC) Current, As the electrical power is applied to the electrodes, these create a positive charge which attracts the negative Charged ions. This creates a build.~up of ions along the upper airfoil blades on the front airfoil which is charged first.
The electrical charge then ceases or shuts off and the ions released. An electrical charge is then created on the rear airfoil, an instant after or at the same time the current shuts off on the front airfoil attracting the ions towards the rear airfoil. This movement both pulls the ions back towards the rear airfoil and pulls the rear airfoil and attached body of the' vehicle towards the ions creating motion and speed. The activation of the electrodes creates sine waves and creates an electrical capacitor creating a significant electrical field between the plates to atfiract the ions. It is the movement of the ions from the front capacitors when released to be atfiracted to the rear capacitors by means of a pulsing arrangement, first charging the front and then the rear plates that creates the movement of ions from the front to the rear and drives the vehicle in the direction from the rear to the front through space.
The main body of the vehicle also contains lateral rockets on the mid piece of the main body allowing for directional control within the atmosphere and within space. At the centre of the device is a cockpit/cargo handling area and below the centre is a thnlster rocket for exit from the upper atmosphere into space.
Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a multiple-rotor aerospace vehicle according to one embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 2 is an elevational view thereof.
Fig. 3 is a portion of the elevation of this embodiment showing the upper pair of airfoils of one counter rotating rotor assembly thereof folded upwards for directional ionic drive.
Fig. 4 is a schematic view of this pair of -airfoil5wfor illustrating -action of the applied waveform thereto.

Fig. 5 is a schematic cross sectional view of one of the rotary airtoils illustrating the action of the flaps or control surfaces.
Detailed Description of Invention With reference to the Drawing, and initially to Fig. 1 thereof, a top plan view of the vehicle or craft shows the outer body or hull 12, which in this embodiment is generally a square with four (rounded) corners and four side edges- At a central position is a dome 14 beneath which is a hydrogen fuel tank. Below this position, e_g_, as shown in Fig. 2, at the base or bottom of the body 12 is the main rocket thruster 76, which is oriented downward. While not shown here, this, thruster is pivoted so it can be pointed at a range of angles in respect to the main axes of the vessel, and its pitch is controlled by an assembly of hydraulic cylinders, which are not shown here, but whose construction would be well known in the trade. Also shown in Fig. 2 are retractable landing gear 18, each with a wheel or wheels, and each being retractable into the body 12 of the vessel. There are comer trim thrusters 20, which are a set of directional jets which assist the vessel in making small changes of attitude or orientation, orto control pitch, roll, or yaw, during flight- There are also four side thrusters 22, each disposed along a side edge of the vessel body 12 for effecting lateral thrust_ At each of the four corners of the verse! there is a counter-rotating rotor assembly 24. Each assembly includes a vertical shaft 26 (which can be a pair of co-axial shaft members), an upper pair of airfoils 28, 28, i.e., rotary wings or blades, and a lower pair of airfoils, 30, 30, the airtails being rotatably mounted upon a counter-rotating transmission 32. Here the upper pair 28 and lower pair 30 of airfoils rotate at the same speed in opposite directions, i.e_, in a coaxial counter-rotating relationship. As shown in Fig. 1, each airfoil 28 and 30, that is each rotor blades, has a series of movable flaps 34 or control surfaces disposed along its trailing edge. Each of the flaps can be deflected upward or downward by means of hydraulic pistons 35, 36 mounted within the respective airfoil 28 or 30, as shown in cross section in Fig. 5. In a favourable embodiment, there are: sixteen to twenty-five flaps 34 arranged side-by-side on the airfoil, although fewer are shown in these drawing figures in order to avoid drawing clutter.
The upper airfvils'28 of each of the rotor assembles 24 can'be-defie~cted'upwards, as shown ~in S
ghost line in Fig. 3, so that the two airfoils 28 are situated parallel and spaced a small distance apart from each other_ A small insulated spacer (not shown) may be present to keep the two airfoils spaced properly, and not touching vne another. The airfoils 28 themselves are formed of a non-conducive or dielectric material, except for the contained electrodes.
As shown in Fig. 4, a source 37 of electrical wave energy is connected with electrodes 38, ~0 in one of the upper airfoils 28 and also with electrodes X12, 44 in the other of the pair of upwardly-folded upper airfoils 28, which as aforementioned act as capacitor plates.
There can be more electrodes in each wing or airfoil than what is illustrated here, with the number and pattern or arrangement thereof selected for the specific aerospace vehicle.
Electromagnetic energy, i.e_, waves, generated between the two airfoils, i.e_, wings or blades, atte"act ions that appear there, and they are ejected in a direction that is selected by adjusting the rotational position of the pair of blades. The ejection is achieved by turning off the electromagnetic energy at the two front airfoils and fuming on the electromagnetic energy at the airfoils Ivcated to the rear of the two front airfoils, attracting charged ions which are released from the first two airfoils and attracted to the second two airfoils causing the ions to move backwards and in an opposite reaction, the rear airfoils and attached vehicle to move forward. This in turn creates particle momentum for propulsion purposes.
As the 'tons, which can be principally electrons or hydrogen nuclei (protons), are propelled at near light speed, this ion drive makes it possible to achieve high speeds, up to relativi tIC speeds (near light speeds) for the journeys between planets.
The applied wave can include a component A which is a sinusoidal wave in which 1/4 wave equals the height of the raised airfoils 28, and another component B for which a half wavelength equals the same height_ These combine to form a resultant wave C, which has a high-power node CH and a low power node C~, The high power node CH ejects any ions that may be present between the two airfoils 28 in given direction, and thus propels the vessel 10 in the weightlessness of space.
The ions may be present from ejection of hydrogen into the space between the folded wings, or more preferably they may be present (in small but finite quantities) in the interplanetary space_ These existing particles are drawn into the space between the wings or airfoils, and are ionized and catapulted out_ In such case the pair of airtoils 28 ejects-these to~create-a low-thrust but one that is capable of sustained operation and of achieving near-light speeds. The rotor assemblies may be rotated about the zaaxis or vertical axis for control of rotation o~~yaw:
~By changing the shape of the applied waveform, i_e_, the resultant of A and B., the ejected ions can be directed somewhat upwards or downwards also, to overcome magnetic and gravitational effects of nearby planets.
Ideally, sinusoidal waveforms, rather than a pulsed DC wave, or a series of pulsed Dc~ waves, should be used, and be applied to the electrodes 38, 40, 42, 44 in the airfoils 28. Pulsed DC rnay be used in describing the system for purposes of clarification. Application of the wavE:forms in proper sequence and timing can cause the aerospace vessel 10 to ascend or descend relative to a given planetary landmark. Higher order power waves can be used to bring additional accuracy to the direction of ion propulsion_ The body or hull 12 of the vessel or craft 10 may be a titanium alloy of the type commonly used by government space agencies and contractors, or may be any other suitable material, and may have an inner hull layer of a titanium alloy.
Not shown here are a main gyroscope for positional data used in navigation and (optionally) for radio astronomy. There are also systems for monitoring and supporting life-support functions, and instrumentation for checking atmosphere, humidity, and temperature in the cabin, cargo by, and/or environmental space within the vessel.
The vessel according to this invention provides a clean, economical means for transportation in air or in space, and may be used for lift and for re-entry. Initially, the vessel may lift off using the main thruster, and then continue vertical flight to the limit of atmospheric flight using the rotor assemblies v--' 24 for conventional lift. By deflecting the flaps 34 in a conttolled fashion during a fraction of each rotation, for both the upper airtoils 28 and the counter-rotating lower airfoils 30, lateral motion is achieved, at whatever given azimuth needed_ At the upper limits of the atmosphere for aerodynamic lift, the main thruster 16 can assist in escaping the gravitation of the earth (~or moon, planet ar other body)_ Then outside the influence of gravitation, the ionic drive can be used for travel to the target planet, moon, or other destination.
Upon return, the thruster 16 can be used to assist the vessel in reducing speed upon approach to the atmosphere, and then upon re-entry the counter-rotating rotor assembles 24 are powered up to let the vessel descend to the surface of the planet. At that point the landing gear are deployed so that the vessel can be landed. -For high~peed descent using the rotor assemblies 24, the longitudinal axis and lateral axis of the vessel 10 are maintained and stabilized. The lower airfoil trailing edge flaps 34 are modulated in such a way as to prevent the wings from touching during high-speed descent.
The upper wings or airfoils 28 can. be raised partially to prevent the wings from touching in which case the upper wings can be locked at the appropriate raised position. The engine can be disconnected from the counter-rotating transmissions 32 in the event of a power-loss descent.
The counter-rotating assembles 24 are assembled in a rectangular pattern (or other regular geometrical pattern) of a sufficient number and of a dimensional design that depends on payload and passenger space requirements, as well as length and width of the body 12.
For each rotor assembly the airfoils 23, 30 have sufficient length and area to provide the required lift. On the trailing edge half of each blade or airfoil, 28, 30 there are a sufficient number of the modulatable flaps 34 to achieve directional control accuracy within about 1/16 of a degree to about 5 degrees.
The trailing edge flaps 34 can be actuated using digital controls, with the actuators being mechanical, pneumatic, electric, or hydraulic (as illustrated). Varying the actuation ofthe flaps 34.
in effect varies the surface area of the airfoil during a portion of each rotation on a particular part of the airfoil. An onboard flight Control computer can reset and recalibrate flap positions, and then modulate the flap positions (after calibration) of all sixteen to twenty floe flaps per airfoil (in the above embodiment), permitting the vessel to maintain or change its altitude and direction. The pitch of the flaps of the upper airfoils 28 and Power airfoils 30 can be opposite to create a differential air pressure for directional (i.e., forward or sideways) movement.
While the invention has been described in reference to a preferred embodiment, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment.
Rather, many modifications and variations will present themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (12)

1. An atmospheric re-entry lander vehicle capable of flight within the earth's atmosphere and of travel across space outside the atmosphere, comprising:
a main body;
a rocket thruster mounted on said main body;
a plurality of counter-rotating rotor assemblies each mounted at a respective corner of the main body, and each including a vertical shaft, an upper pair of airfoils, a lower pair of airfoils, counter-rotating transmission means on said shaft mounting the associated first and second pairs of air foils in coaxial counter-rotating relationship, and motive direct means for powering said counter-rotating rotor assemblies;
the upper pair of airfoils of two or more of said assemblies is foldable upwards into a vertical position in which the airfoils are parallel and separated by a predetermined spacing from one another; said upper airfoils carrying electrodes that extend therealong; and electrical drive means for applying a controlled drive wave to said electrodes to create a directional low-thrust, high-velocity ion drive between said folded upper pair of airfoils and another set of airfoils located to the rear thereof causing the ions to move to the rear and the vehicle to move to the front, including by means of a pulsed and timed switching on and off of the electrical field alternatively attracting and releasing ions.

2. The atmospheric re-entry lander vehicle of Claim 1 wherein there are four of said counter-rotating rotor assemblies.

3. The atmospheric re-entry lander vehicle of Claim 1 wherein each of said airfoils has a plurality of adjustable flaps disposed at a trailing edge thereof.

4. The atmospheric re-entry lander vehicle of claim 1 where the adjustable flaps are adjustable by hydraulic cylinders.

5. The atmospheric re-entry lander vehicle of Claim 1 where the adjustable flaps are adjustable by electronic controls.

6. The atmospheric re-entry lander vehicle of Claim 1 with attractable wheeled landing gear in the main body.

7. The atmospheric re-entry lander vehicle of Claim 1 with trim thruster rockets disposed at the sides of the main body.

8. The atmospheric re-entry lander vehicle of Claim 1 where the counter-rotating rotor assemblies are located on each side, but not on the corners of the main body.

9. The atmospheric re-entry sander vehicle of Claim 1 where the airfoils have no adjustable flaps.

10. The atmospheric re-entry lander vehicle of Claim 1 without the directional low thrust high velocity ion drive and electrically charged airfoils.

11. The atmospheric re-entry lander vehicle of Claim 1 without the dome, cabin, cargo and/or environmental space, i.e., an unmanned vehicle.

12. The atmospheric re-entry lander vehicle of Claim 1 without the gyroscope.