(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 9,475,591 B2 Dula (45) Date of Patent: Oct
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US009475591 B2 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 9,475,591 B2 Dula (45) Date of Patent: Oct. 25, 2016 (54) SPACE LAUNCH APPARATUS 3,825,211 A * 7/1974 Minovitch ............. B64G 1,409 244/171.1 (71) Applicant: Arthur McKee Dula, Houston, TX 4,451,017 A * 5/1984 Marshall ................ By 1992 (US) 4,699,339 A * 10/1987 Rosen ...................... B64G 1/14 244f1722 (72) Inventor: Arthur McKee Dula, Houston, TX 4,817,890 A * 4/1989 Coffinberry ............. FO2K9/605 (US) 244f135 R 4,943,014 A * 7/1990 Harwood ............... B64G 1,007 (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this 5,667,167 A * 9, 1997 Kistler B.E. patent is extended or adjusted under 35 ww J. W. x -1 K-1 - kx. Vukwu. 244/110 E U.S.C. 154(b) by 89 days. 6,491.258 B1* 12/2002 Boyd ..................... B64G 1,007 244,158.1 (21) Appl. No.: 14/547,543 6,536,712 B1* 3/2003 Barenett .................. Bigg (22) Filed:1-1. Nov. 19, 2014 6,685,141 B2 * 2/2004 Penn ...................... B64G244/171.1 1002 O O 6,793,183 B1* 9/2004 Hand ..................... B64G 1,641 (65) Prior Publication Data 244,158.1 US 2015/0375875 A1 Dec. 31, 2015 7,559,508 B1* 7/2009 Taylor .................... B64G244, 1,0021594 Related U.S. Application Data 7,686,255 B2 * 3/2010 Harris .................... B64G 1.222 AV 244, 1594 (60) Provisional application No. 61/906,086, filed on Nov. 2011/0297795 A1* 12/2011 Jaeger ...................... B64G 1/10 19, 2013, provisional application No. 62/041,050 244/171.1 s p pp swall ws 2013/0299669 A1* 11/2013 Laurens .................. F16F 15.08 filed on Aug. 23, 2014. 248/573 2015, 0.144738 A1* 5, 2015 Soulier .................. B64G 1,242 (51) Int. Cl. 244, 1586 B64G L/40 (2006.01) k . B64G L/64 (2006.01) cited by examiner B64G L/00 (2006.01) Primary Examiner – Christopher P Ellis (52)52) U.S. Cl.C Assistanty Examiner — Michaelp Wang CPC ............... B64G I/002 (2013.01); B64G 1/401 (2013.01); B64G 1/402 (2013.01) (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Law Office of Art Dula: (58) Field of Classification Search Arthur M. Dula; Rusha Desai CPC ........ B64G 1/002: B64G 1/40: B64G 1/401; B64G 1/402: B64G 1/64; B64G 1/641; (57) ABSTRACT B64G 1/645 A space launch apparatus comprising a solid triangular space See application file for complete search history. frame constructed of a plurality of connected truss members that are attached to each other at nodes and are also attached (56) References Cited to at least one rocket motor and to at least one payload whereby the force produced by the operation of the rocket U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS motor is transferred to the payload and aerodynamic and 3,180,084 A * 4, 1965 Meeks ..................... B64G 1.26 vibration loads are distributed through the truss members 239,265.19 and their nodes. 3,304,724. A * 2, 1967 Blumrich ................ FO2K9/605 220/653 24 Claims, 22 Drawing Sheets 20 200 101. t()) 24 U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 1 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 2 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 222 215k 22 Fig. 28 200 U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 3 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 Fig. 3 201st 2OO - OO U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 4 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet S of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 ±||| Fig. 58 U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 6 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 3. 3: :38:odses U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 7 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 8 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 9 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 - W - a - was w ~~~~~; - - - - - - - t - - - - - - - - - - - - were a s - - - - - - - - - 8 s 8 U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 10 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 FG . Propellant mass faction for hallistic launch vehicles, 0.8 . 0.85 coloric icoloko. hukudu ico. 33: 388 3688 388 8.338 888 88 83X: 388: 888 res oats, it ApproximatingFIG 11. a circular plan FG 12. form reference area. Drag coefficients assumed for Bulldog. 10 TOTALDRAG, RETRACTED PM w 08 a's cer P w FOREBODY DRAG, 0.8 RERACTE) PM 4. 2 C 2 3 A. 5 MAC NUMBER U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 11 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 FIG 3. Mass Properties for Scaled Bulldog Launch Vehicles. Bulldog 1 Bulldog 2 Bulldog 3 Zenit equiv S-V equiv) Sea D. equiv) reters meters neters Height 17.84 28.9 46.67 Diameter 20.39 33.04. 5431 t t t GLOW 895.3 4321, 21338.0 tade 1 7 05. 3528,95 15076.6 Burnou t 6 9 8 282. 1145.8 Propellan t 636 w O 3246. 13930.8 Stage 2 76.3 6 7 2 2 5752.9 Burnout 1 6. 5 434. Fairings O. 2 2 618. 5315.75315. Payload 1200 508.5 %2nd stage propellant to total U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 12 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 it 3. {{Si trajectary Eveats for Buickg vehicles. Bulldog Bulldog 2 Bulldog 3 (Zenit eqiy) (S-V equiv) Sea O. equiv Secoids liftoff Maximia dynastic pressure 82 vide 2 iris: 70 first stage surroit first stage jettison 3 Second stage ignition Fairings jettison S5 Second stage autout $83 & S. {r}+ng:#ish: c.fijiticieg saicci seiici: ; iii. 2:nii, Setti; } trif Sex is; sig; i.atrici, i:iiicies. R : 8&s: 8888. 8: 8 U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 13 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 FG 6. Altitude and Flight-Path-Angle Histories (Buildog I) Altitude History ine, Sec. Flight Path Angle History ine, Sec. U.S. Patent US 9,475,591 B2 FG 7. Relati &---:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Accelerat S tory S U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 15 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 FIG 8. Dynamic Pressure and Drag/Thrust Histories (Bulldog 1) Dynamic Pressure History Time, SeC. Drag Thrust History Tine, Sec, U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 16 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 FG 9 Aliitude a Fid F ight -Path -Angie H.i stories (Bulldo 2 ) At itude H istory - Bulldog 2 ? F. S tory Bulldog 2 U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 17 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 FIG 2). Relative yello sity and Acceleration Histories (Bulldo 2) Acceleration History - Bulldog 2 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$&&&&&&& §::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::? U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 18 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 FG 2. Dynamic Pressure and Drag/Thrust Histories (Bulldog 2) Dynamic Pressure History - Bulldog 2 2 cis&c. s 3 s --- C. S. 8. s A. ime, SeC. U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 19 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 FIG 22. Aititude and Flight-Path-Angle Histories (Bulldog 3} Altitude History - Bulldog 3 & SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS SSSSSSS& SSSSSS & SSSSSSSS : ine, SeC. U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 20 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 FIG 23. Relative Velocity and Acceleration Histories (Bulldog 3) Relative Velocity History - Bulldog 3 C X. Time, SeC. U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 21 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 FIG 24, Dynamic Pressure and Drag/Thrust Histories (Bulldog 3) Dynamic Pressure History - Bulldog 3 Tine, Sec. Drag Thrust History - Bulldog 3 Time, SeC. U.S. Patent Oct. 25, 2016 Sheet 22 of 22 US 9,475,591 B2 w c w US 9,475,591 B2 1. 2 SPACE LAUNCH APPARATUS form, i.e. a plurality of relatively skinny cylinders stacked on top of each other. A multistage rocket comprising a plurality CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED of Stacked cylinders must balance all of the rocket stage APPLICATIONS cylinders on top of each other during its operation. The interface planes between these rocket stages must withstand Not Applicable the vehicle's vibration and acceleration loads without struc tural failure. Complex coupled loads analysis is required to STATEMENT RELATED TO FEDERALLY verify that these interfaces between the rocket stages and SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT between the rocket stages and the payload are capable of 10 withstanding the heavy vibration and acceleration loads. Not Applicable This analysis is a critical part of the flight qualification. For large multistage launch vehicles carrying heavy payloads, BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION these mechanical loads must be managed with great preci 1. Field of Invention 15 sion for the rocket to operate without failure. Put simply, The present invention relates generally to space launch current launch vehicles are very delicate structures. vehicles that use rocket engines to move payloads from the In the 1960s and 1970s American aerospace companies surface of the Earth to a desired orbit or trajectory. The proposed to design and construct much larger launch present invention is also useful in the art of suborbital vehicles. Because the inventor cannot build and test a Sounding rockets. More specifically, the present invention is working model of the present invention, Some information a launch apparatus that utilizes a space frame truss structure about these carefully engineered large vehicles should be to transfer propulsive loads to the payload and to simulta useful as background to show that the present invention is neously distribute vibration loads over the truss structure of technically credible and reasonable.