Reusable space transportation system
A space transportation system intended to be mounted on a space launcher comprising a re-ignitable propulsion device and steerable flaps located at a second end and a monitoring unit, each flap comprising an actuating means configured to modify the orientation of said flap, said monitoring unit being configured to control the activation of the propulsion device and individually control the orientation of the flaps in order to implement the following steps: a launch step during which the propulsion device is off and the flaps are in a retracted position; a return step during which the monitoring unit deploys the flaps and individually controls the orientation of the flaps to slow down the system, the propulsion device being off; a landing step during which the monitoring unit controls the propulsion device and the actuating means to orient the flaps to slow down.
1 . A space transportation system intended to carry a payload and be mounted on a space launcher, the transportation system comprising a fuselage extending mainly along a first direction, a first end, a second end opposite to the first end along the first direction, and a re-ignitable propulsion device located on said first end or on said second end,
wherein the transportation system comprises a plurality of steerable flaps located at said second end and a control unit, the flaps being located at a distance of the fuselage of the transportation system whatever the step such that a first end of each flap closest to the second end of the fuselage is disconnected from the second end of the fuselage, each flap comprising an actuating means configured to modify an orientation of said flap at least in a plane parallel to the first direction, wherein each actuating means includes a mechanical arm configured to pivot each respective flap around a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and said control unit being configured to control the propulsion device and individually control each actuating means to control the orientation of each of the flaps in order to implement:
a launch step during which the propulsion device is off and the flaps are in a retracted position;
a return from space step during which the control unit controls the actuating means to deploy the flaps and orient them to ensure stability and pilot the transportation system, the propulsion device being off;
a landing step during which the control unit controls the propulsion device and the actuating means to orient the flaps to slow down and perform a rollover of the transportation system, wherein each of the respective flaps can be pivoted around the second direction during the rollover of the transportation system.
2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the flaps being remote from the fuselage along the first direction in the launch step.
3 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the means for actuating the flaps are actuators configured to maintain the flaps offset from the fuselage.
4 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of steerable flaps comprises four flaps distributed according to an axial symmetry around the first direction.
5 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the propulsion device comprises a plurality of exhaust nozzles distributed on the fuselage of the system along a circumferential direction around the first direction and which are directed towards the second end of the system and between the flaps or along a direction parallel to the first direction and passing between two flaps for each exhaust nozzle.
6 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the propulsion device generates a thrust that is variable in terms of intensity and direction and controlled by the control unit.
7 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the flaps have, along the first direction and in the configuration of the launch step, a length comprised between 40% and 60% of the length of the fuselage of the transportation system.
8 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein each flap comprises a first end directed towards the first end of the system during the launch step and a second end directed towards the second end of the system during the launch step, and the system is configured to rest on the reference surface by contact with the second end of the flaps at the end of the landing step.
9 . The system according to claim 8 , wherein the system comprises at least one central leg located at the second end of the system and surrounded by the flaps, the system being configured to rest on the reference surface by contact with the second end of the flaps and the central leg at the end of the landing step.
10 . An assembly comprising a transportation system according to claim 1 installed on a space launcher.
11 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a hatch housing the payload, wherein the hatch is located between the first end and the second end.
12 . The system according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one leg located between the flaps at a level of the second end.
13 . The system according to claim 12 , wherein the transportation system is configured to rest on the reference surface by contact with the second end of the flaps and the at least one leg at the end of the landing step.
14 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein during the rollover of the transportation system, the second ends of each of the respective flaps face a reference surface.