Kistler Aerospace Corporation

Aaron Cohen

Dale D Myers

George E Mueller

Henry O Pohl

Walter P Kistler

Thomas C Taylor

Adam P Bruckner

Steven C Knowles

Richard A Bailey

Thomas G Johnson

Jason E Andrews

Chris McLain

Richard Warwick

Allan S Hill

A spacecraft launch system includes a support assembly and a seat coupled to a hinge having a hinge axis. In operation, the support assembly and the seat rotate about the hinge axis to move the spacecraft from a horizontal position to a vertical position for launching. The launch system may incorporate an alignment technique that includes alignment members and actuators.

Spacecraft launch system and method

A re-entry vehicle includes a flare-stabilized cylindrical body with a center of gravity displaced from a centerline to define a windward side of the body upon re-entry. The body orients at an angle of attack between the centerline and a velocity vector to generate a lift vector. An actuator moves the lift vector relative to the velocity vector to control the descent of the re-entry vehicle.

System and method for controlling a re-entry vehicle

A two-stage wingless reusable aerospace vehicle having upper and lower stages that take off from a take-off area and separate at a separation point along a first trajectory. The separation forces are generated by air retained between the upper and lower stages, which is at a pressure higher than ambient pressure at the separation point. The lower stage is then propelled along a return trajectory to a landing area. After separation from the lower stage, the upper stage continues to an Earth orbit for deployment of a payload. After deploying the payload, the upper stage moves out of the Earth orbit, re-enters the Earth's atmosphere, and returns to the take-off and landing area. The upper and lower stages are powered by liquid oxygen and kerosene engines. The aerospace vehicle is transported to a take-off area by a transport vehicle having a first fixed carriage and a second translatable carriage that is adapted to move the upper stage relative to the lower stage for assembly of the aerospace vehicle while in the horizontal position. The transport vehicle then pivots the aerospace vehicle from the horizontal to the vertical position for launching.

Two-stage reusable earth-to-orbit aerospace vehicle and transport system

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College Station, TX, United States of America

Aaron Cohen