Development and characteristics of self supporting space vehicl

Osullivan, W. J., Jr.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

REPLY TO 
ATTN OF: GP 
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADM INlSTRATlON 
WASH!NGTON. D.C. 20546 
October 14, 1970 
TO : USB/Scientific & Technical Information Division 
FROM E' GP/Office of Assistant General 
Attention: Miss Winnie M, Morgan 
Counsel for Patent Matters 
SUBJECT: Announcement of NASA-Owned 
U , S .  Patents in STAR 
In accordance with the procedures contained in the Code GP 
to Code US1 memorandum on this subject, dated June 8, 1970, 
the attached NASA-owned U , S ,  patent is being forwarded for 
abstracting and announcement in NASA STAR, 
The following information is provided: 
U,S, Patent No. :: 2,996,212 
Corporate Source 
Supplementary 
Corporate Source 
NASA Patent Case No,: 
Enclosure: 
Copy of Patent 
N 
0 rg (ACCESSIQN,NUMBER) 
b I 
! i / -  " (NASA CR OR TMX OR AD NUPABER) 3 
XLA-00117 
(CATEGORY) NASA-HQ 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19710008205 2020-03-17T02:45:25+00:00Z
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SELF' SUPPORTING SPACE VEHICLE 
Pdiled Aug. 20, 1959 
19 
18 
FIG. 3 
.'e*- .. 
INVENTOR ,..-.-.- . 
BY 
EYS 
ling vehicle, the package is 
space by conventional means, 
such for example as the coil spring 16, whereupon the 
gas cylinder 12 is actuated to unfold and i d a t e  the 
e 5 space vehicle by injection of an inflating medium, such for 
e example as nitrogen through a valve arrangement 1 
inserted within an opening B 
As more clearly shown in FIG. 2, the skin of the 
10 space vehicle 18 is composed of a plurality of segments 
The invention described herein may be manufactured 20 Of a two ply laminated skin joined together by a con- 
and used by or for the Government of the United States ventional flexible adhesive. The laminated skin consists 
of America for governmental purposes without the pay- of a thin base layer, or film, 21 of a tough and flexible 
ment of any royalties thereon or therefor. material such for example as rubber, parachute cloth or 
This invention relates generally to aerial vehicles, and 16 PlFtic. A preferred material is the Polyester ‘’Mylar” 
more particularly to an upper atmosphere vehicle or wbch exhibits a high strength in shear. The base layer 
space balloon. 21 is covered with a thin metallic layer, or film, 22, of a 
In order to satisfy the present day quest for knowledge mterial having a high ratio of stiffness per weight for 
of the scientific mysteries of the upper atmosphere, or unit surface area, such for example as aluminum. The 
outer space, a need has arisen for a flexible and light- 20 metallic coating preferably forms the external surface of 
weight space vehicle which can be carried aloft in a the segments 20 in order to prevent deterioration in the 
compact package and, at a preselected distance, erected StreWh and flexibility characteristics of the base layer 
to assume a particular configuration. Although the erec- matfhal 21 by ultra-violet and other solar radiations 
tion can be readily accomplished by the w e  of an in- present in space. In order to more fully protect the base 
flating medium, in view of the l&elihood of puncture 25 layer 21, a simple lap joint or a butt joint with an under- 
of the skin material of the space vehicle, or balloon, by lying lap Plate 23 type juncture betweal each of seg- 
space debris, such for example as micrometeorites, the ments 20 of the space vehicle skin is preferably utilized. 
internal pressure of the inflating medium cannot be re- The pneumatic erection of the spherical space vehicle 
lied upon to maintain the desired vehicular configuration. by the g= cylinder 12 c o ~ t h ~ e s  Until the internal Pres- 
Accordjndy, it is an object of this invention to provide 30 Sure Of the inflating gas within the space vehicle 11 de- 
a space vehicle of a new and unique construction. velops a permanent set in the metallic coating 22 by sub- 
It is also an object of the present invention to provide kcti% it to tensile stresses exceeding the yield point 
a flexible and lightweight space balloon or probe en- thereof thereby removing the major wrinkles developed 
relope capable of being alternatively and repeatedly in the skin while in the folded condition. The removal 
folded into a compact package and erected to assume a 35 Of all of the Coarse folds in the Skin material can be 
defined configuration, considered as a visual indication tha the metallic co 
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a has yielded. 
new and improved flexible and lightweight spa= balloon of the space vehicle 11 from the cylinder 12 when the 
or satellite construction capable of being inflated into a cylinder is exhausted thereby allowing the inflating gas 
desired configuration and of retaining said desired con- 40 within the space vehicle 11 to leak off through opening 
figuration independently of the inflating medium. 19. Reductton of the internal pressure of the spherical 
A further object of this invention is to provide a new space vehicle results in the development of residual 
and improved electromagnetic wave signal reflecting space wrinkles in the yielded laminated skin, which in conjunc- 
vehicle. tion with the inherent stiffness of the skin material, re- 
Other objects and many of the attendant advantages 45 Suits in a Spa= Vehicle adapted to Support itself in a 
of this invention be readily appreciated the same PartiCUk configuration in the absence of internd pres- 
become better understood by reference to the following sure exceeding the external atmospheric pressure there- 
detailed description when considered in connection with upon, as shown in FIG. 3. 
the accompanying drawing wherein: It has been found that for small sized spherical con- 
PIC. 1 is a view of a space vehicle of the present in- 60 figurations, such for example as one having a diameter 
vention in a compact condition; of approximately 30 inches, a two ply laminated skin 
FIG. 2 is a view, partially in section, of a space ve- material exhibits sufficient stiffness to allow for self reten- 
hicle in an inflated condition; tion of the configuration. However, other configurations, 
FIG. 3 is a view of a spherical space vehicle in self- as well as larger sized spherical configurations, such for 
sustaining condition; and, 55 example as one having a diameter of twelve feet, have 
FIG. 4 is a View, partially in section, of an alternative been found to preferably utilize a three ply laminated 
embodiment of a space vehicle in accordance with the skin material exhibiting a greater degree of stiffness. 
instant invention. FIG. 4 of the drawing illustrates a space vehicle 24 of a 
Refming now to the drawing wherein like reference dish-like configuration, such for example as a parabolic 
numerals designate identical or brresponding parts 60 reflector for electromagnetic waves, which requires a 
throughout the several views, and more particularly to three ply laminaied skin. As shown in FIG. 4, the skin is 
FIG. 1 whereon a space vehicle PI of a spherical configu- composed of a central layer 25 of flexible and tough ma- 
ration constructed in accordance with the present inven- terial such for example as “Mylar” to both faces of which 
tion is shown in a folded condition arrang about a con- is adhesively bonded a metallic layer 26 and 27, such 
tainer of compressed gas 112 upon a tray thereby pro- 65 for example as aluminum or the like. 
viding a compact package readily positionable within It is to be understood that although the invention de- 
a nose cone 14 detachably mounted upon a propelling ve- scribes release of the inilating medium through the aper- 
hicle, such for exampIe as the rocket 15. The rocket ture 19 in the vehicle envelope, it is also contemplated 
35 upon initiation carries the nose cone and its light- that the aperture 19 may be provided with a valve to 
weight package into &e upper atmosphere, where at some 70 prevent release of the inflating medium. In this instmce, 
preselected height, it is separated from the rocket by con- the configuration will be maintained by the inflating me- 
ventional means, not shown. Upon separation of the dium until puncture of the envelope by space debris oc- 
Valve 17 is desiwed to detach the stem B 
S,998,2 1% 
curs, at which time the me m will escape and the con- film, at least one of said s having an aperture 
figuration will then be self retained. formed therein, said segments being joined to one an- 
Obviously many modifications and variations of the other to define an envelope, and pressure producing 
present invention are possible in the light of the above means communicating with the interior of said envelope 
teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within 5 through said aperture for producing sufficient pressure 
the WPe Of the appended claims the invention may be to internally pressurize said envelope and stress said 
laminated material in tension beyond the elastic limit 
by thereof but less than the ultimate tensile strength thereof 
to establish permanent set therein. 
vacuum comprising an envelope formed of a thin lami- 
nated material having a plastic f%n and a metallic film 
bonded to at least one side thereof, and means for de- 
han as specifically described. 
new and desired to be 
United States is: 
1. A space vehicle operable in an interplanetary spatial 10 
~6~~~ Cited in the file of this patent 
UNITED STATES PATENTS 
2,151,336 Scharlan _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  Mar. 21, 1939 
2,163,531 Wettstein _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  June 20, 1939 
2,503,190 Branson _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  Apr. 4, 1950 
2,503,191 Branson _____________-_ Apr. 4, 1950 
2,673,826 Ness _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  Mar. 30, 1954 
2,730,626 Varney _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  Jan. 10, 1956 
2,765,251 Williams _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  Oct. 2, 1956 
2,809,130 Rappaport _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  Oct. 8, 1957 
2,880,446 Benedict et a[. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  Apr. 7, 1959 
2,888,675 Pratt et al. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  May 26, 1959 
OTHER REFERENCES 
Aviation Week, Aug. 5, 1957, pages 76 and 77. 
veloping an internal pressure with& said envelope of a 
magnitude to stress said laminated material beyond its 15 
yield point but less than the ultimate tensile strength 
thereof to establish a permanent set therein. 
2. A space vehicle operable in an interplanetary spatial 
vacuum as defined by claim 1 wherein said metallic film 
is composed of afuminum. 20 
3. An inflatable space vehicle adapted to be compactly 
folded into a small package and subsequently expanded 
into a large permanent structure for operation in an ex- 
traplanetary spatial vacuum or low density atmosphere, 
comprising a plurality of segments of thin laminated gtj 
material each comprised of a polyester film and a metallic 
TENT. OFFICE 
0 c 
Nd. 2,996,212 Augus t  15, 1961 
Su 1 l i v a n  J F e 
that e r r o r  appears in the above numbered pat- 
t h a t  the  aafd Letters Patent should read a8 
2,  l i n e  36, f o r  "thasc read -- t h a t  --; column 
4 ,  l i n e  22, f o r  Ff2,880,4461* r e a d  -- 2 , 8 8 0 , 4 9 6  --. 
and s e a l e d  t h i s  2nd day  of J a n u a r y  1962. 
i 


Self supporting space vehicle Patent

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