Technology is disclosed herein for orbit raising of multiple spacecraft launched with a single launch vehicle. Two or more spacecraft are configured in a stacked launch configuration in which a lower spacecraft (102(1)) is mechanically coupled with a payload adapter (212) of a launch vehicle with one or more upper spacecraft (102(2)) above the lower spacecraft. Propellant that is stored in the lower spacecraft (102(1)) during launch is transferred to an upper spacecraft (102(2)) in the stack after launch. The propellent may be used by the upper spacecraft (102(2)) for an orbit raising maneuver that raises the orbit of at least the upper spacecraft (102(2)) from a first orbit to a second orbit. Storing the propellant in the lower spacecraft (102(1)) lowers the center of mass of the stack during launch. Lowering the center of mass reduces the structural bending moment of the stack during launch, which allows a greater total launch mass.
STACKED SPACECRAFT LAUNCH AND ORBIT RAISING
START EINES GESTAPELTEN RAUMFAHRZEUGS UND UMLAUFBAHNHEBEN
LANCEMENT D'ENGIN SPATIAL EMPILÉ ET ÉLÉVATION D'ORBITE
2025-05-21
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | B64G Raumfahrt , COSMONAUTICS |