Granted Patent
B2
US 12,729,019 · App. 17/586,268 · Granted Sep 8, 2026
Deployable lunar landing pads for space mining applications
Assignee:
Trans Astronautica Corporation
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Abstract
A landing pad for deployment on a celestial body includes a deployable surface configured to be stored in a stowed configuration on a spacecraft and be deployed into a deployed configuration on a surface of the celestial body, a landing system configured to land the landing pad on the surface of the celestial body, and a control system configured to control the landing system during landing of the landing pad on the surface of the celestial body and control the deployment of the deployable surface.
Claims (24)
1 . A landing pad for deployment on the Moon, comprising:
a deployable surface configured to be stored in a stowed configuration on a spacecraft and be deployed into a deployed configuration on a surface of the Moon; and
a landing system configured to reduce an impact force between the landing pad and the surface of the Moon as the landing pad is landed on the surface,
wherein the deployable surface is further configured to reduce or eliminate scattering of loose material from the surface of the Moon in the deployed configuration, and
wherein the deployable surface is formed of a material having a density that is lower than a threshold density at which the landing pad can fall freely in lunar gravity without the impact force of the landing pad damaging the deployable surface.
2 . The landing pad of claim 1 , wherein the landing system comprises:
one or more braking thrusters configured to slow the landing pad's descent during landing of the landing pad.
3 . The landing pad of claim 2 , wherein the one or more braking thrusters are further configured to shut down a threshold distance above the surface of the Moon to reduce or prevent the loose material from being scattered by exhaust plumes from the braking thruster.
4 . The landing pad of claim 2 , wherein the one or more braking thrusters are further configured to provide an amount of thrust that is small enough to reduce or prevent the loose material from being scattered by the braking thruster's exhaust plumes when the landing pad is greater than a threshold distance from the surface of the Moon.
5 . The landing pad of claim 1 , wherein the deployable surface is configured to be used for landing of a plurality of spacecraft.
6 . The landing pad of claim 1 , wherein the landing system is further configured to unfurl the deployable surface before landing on the surface of the Moon.
7 . The landing pad of claim 6 , wherein the landing system is further configured to cause the deployable surface to rotate such that centrifugal forces spread out the deployable surface into the deployed configuration.
8 . The landing pad of claim 6 , wherein the landing system comprises one or more shape memory materials configured to cause the deployable surface to spread out into the deployed configuration after the landing pad is released from storage on the spacecraft.
9 . The landing pad of claim 6 , wherein the landing system comprises one or more thrusters configured to provide forces to unfurl the deployable surface.
10 . The landing pad of claim 1 , wherein the deployable surface comprises a continuous membrane.
11 . The landing pad of claim 1 , wherein the deployable surface comprises a woven fabric.
12 . The landing pad of claim 1 , wherein the deployable surface comprises a plurality of flat plates.
13 . The landing pad of claim 12 , wherein the flat plates are formed of metal.
14 . The landing pad of claim 12 , wherein the flat plates are formed of ceramic.
15 . The landing pad of claim 12 , wherein the flat plates are hinged together, and flat plates are configured to fold out to be deployed into the deployed configuration.
16 . A landing pad for deployment on a celestial body, comprising:
a deployable surface configured to be stored in a stowed configuration on a spacecraft and be deployed into a deployed configuration on a surface of the celestial body; and
a landing system configured to reduce an impact force between the landing pad and the surface of the celestial body as the landing pad is landed on the surface, the landing system comprising a balloon configured to reduce the impact force between the landing pad and the surface of the celestial body as the landing pad is landed on the surface,
wherein the deployable surface is further configured to reduce or eliminate scattering of loose material from the surface of the celestial body in the deployed configuration.
Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST
Recorded Jun 12, 2024
From: SERCEL, JOEL C.; SMALL, JAMES G.
To: TRANS ASTRONAUTICA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067710/0379 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application
63142868
· Jan 28, 2021
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