IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,661,218
Granted Patent B2
US 11,661,218 · App. 16/324,537 · Granted May 30, 2023

Exploration method, exploration system, probe, hydrogen supply method, and image processing method

Inventors: Takeshi Hakamada (Tokyo, JP); Takahiro Nakamura (Tokyo, JP); John Walker (Tokyo, JP); Toshiro Shimizu (Tokyo, JP); Toshiki Tanaka (Tokyo, JP); Daisuke Furutomo (Tokyo, JP); Yu Kudo (Tokyo, JP); Kiyona Miyamoto (Tokyo, JP); Daishi Matsukura (Tokyo, JP); Mohamed Ragab (Tokyo, JP); Abdelkader Haouchine (Tokyo, JP); Damien Haikal (Tokyo, JP); Chit Hong Yam (Tokyo, JP); Julian Jakub Gramatyka (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: ISPACE, INC.
B64G5/00B64G1/105B64G1/1085B64G1/16B64G1/421B64G1/443B64G1/66B64G3/00C25B1/04E21C51/00H04N5/265B64G2001/1071H04N5/2253
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,661,218
App. No.
16/324,537
Granted
May 30, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

An exploration method includes: a step of exploring a natural resource on a satellite, a minor planet, or a planet; a step of acquiring the natural resource detected by the exploration; and a step of storing the acquired natural resource.

Claims (16)

1. An exploration method comprising:

a step of digging a soil of a recess located in a permanent shadow which a satellite of a planet, a minor planet, or a planet has;

a step of acquiring a water by collecting or liquefying vapor obtained by evaporating, through heating, ice included in soil or a rock, or a block of ice, or by liquefying the ice included in soil or a rock, or the block of ice, in the recess located in the permanent shadow;

a step of storing the acquired water in a tank;

a step of electrolyzing the stored water; and

a step of supplying hydrogen obtained by electrolyzing the stored water, to a supply target; and

a step of generating, by a solar cell disposed on a moon surface other than the permanent shadow, power,

wherein in the acquiring step, the water is acquired by collecting vapor obtained by evaporating ice through heating of soil or a rock or a block of ice using the generated power.

2. The exploration method according to claim 1 , wherein in the storing step, the acquired water is delivered to a tank through a pipe to be stored in the corresponding tank.

3. The exploration method according to claim 1 comprising:

a step of ejecting a camera from a space probe including an ejection mechanism;

a step of performing, by the camera, photographing at a spot where the camera lands after being ejected; and

a step of transmitting, by the camera, an image obtained by the photographing to the space probe.

4. The exploration method according to claim 1 comprising:

a step of substituting, by a lander or a space probe, an image region of an obstacle included in an image photographed by a camera mounted in the space probe with an object generated so as to have a size corresponding to a size of the corresponding image region and constituted by polygons, or an object constituted by predetermined reference images; and

a step of transmitting an image obtained after the substitution from the lander to an earth station.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 5, 2019
From: HAKAMADA, TAKESHI; NAKAMURA, TAKAHIRO; WALKER, JOHN; SHIMIZU, TOSHIRO; TANAKA, TOSHIKI; FURUTOMO, DAISUKE; KUDO, YU; MIYAMOTO, KIYONA; MATSUKURA, DAISHI; RAGAB, MOHAMED; HAOUCHINE, ABDELKADER; HAIKAL, DAMIEN; YAM, CHIT HONG; GRAMATYKA, JULIAN JAKUB
To: ISPACE, INC.
Reel/Frame 051187/0789 →
Priority Claims (1)
WO PCT/JP2016/073659 · Aug 10, 2016 · international
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190248517A1 · Aug 15, 2019