How Multiple Space Projectiles Can Assemble Themselves In Mid-Air

A system that launches several projectiles into the sky simultaneously and uses onboard controls to have them connect or transfer fuel while flying.

What it covers

The system uses multiple launch mechanisms to fire several projectiles into the atmosphere at once. A central control system manages the launch timing to ensure different projectiles experience different g-loads, which helps protect sensitive equipment. Once in flight, a second control system inside the projectiles takes over. This system manages physical connections, such as tethers or locking mechanisms, and can even transfer propellant between the flying objects to help them reach their final destination.

What it doesn't cover

• —Does not cover single-stage rocket systems that do not involve mid-flight assembly of multiple projectiles.
• —Does not cover ground-based assembly of payloads before the launch sequence begins.
• —Does not cover standard satellite docking procedures that occur in orbit rather than during the atmospheric flight phase.

The clever bit

Instead of building one giant, expensive rocket to carry everything, it uses multiple smaller, cheaper launches and lets the projectiles 'meet up' in the air to combine their resources.

Why it matters

This patent addresses the high cost and extreme acceleration forces associated with traditional rockets. By splitting a mission into multiple projectiles that assemble in flight, it proposes a way to launch delicate instruments that might otherwise be destroyed by the intense g-forces of a single, massive rocket launch.

Real-world examples

• 1.Proposed ram accelerator space launch systems
• 2.Multi-stage kinetic energy launch platforms