The Boeing Company

Harry W Dursch

Donald A Anderson

Robert F Collins

Willard N Westre

Charles W Newquist

Robert A Burns

James O Cappa

A single piece frame (12) for a spacecraft, the frame manufactured as fiber composite sheets (40, 42) overlaying a core (38). The core (38) is preferably made of aluminum and formed with a honeycomb cross-section. The frame (12) provides a mounting structure to which payload, spacecraft equipment, and boost vehicle are attached. The frame (12) can be reinforced locally by varying the core density or the wall thickness so as to resist concentrated or localized loads. The orientation of the fiber in the composite sheets may also be varied so as to strengthen the frame in a desired location.

One piece spacecraft frame

Methods are provided for lining and wrapping both interior and exterior surfaces of tubular structures with materials that protect the underlying structures from adverse environmental conditions, provide a thermal control coating and prevent exchanging moisture with the surrounding environments. The methods use adhesives to securely position the lining or wrapping material inside or around the exterior of the tubular structure. The adhesives prevent the formation of discontinuities in the protective layer provided by the lining or wrapping material by holding the protective materials in place during the fabrication process. The wrapping materials are sealed by an ultrasonically welded seam to prevent environmental attack through the seam to the underlying tubular structure.

Convolutely lined and wrapped composite tubes

A seal for preventing extremely hot gases from passing between a movable engine ramp and an engine splitter wall in a hypersonic aircraft. The seal moves with the engine ramp, in a direction parallel to the surface of the splitter wall. The seal includes a first flange which makes sliding contact with the outer engine ramp surface and is attached to a flexible sealing portion that fills the gap between the ramp and wall. The sealing portion maintains sliding contact with the wall as the gap changes dimension due to variations in the ramp's temperature. The attachment region can be a concave surface to radiate the seal's heat. In a second embodiment, the seal includes a second flange through which the seal is attached to the cooler side of the engine ramp.

Slidable high-temperature seal

Increased specific powers are achieved for space solar cells by using 2-5 mil titanium foil as the substrate of a cell. Specific powers above the NASA goal of 300 watts/kg for (Cd,Zn)S/CuInSe.sub.2 solar cells have been measured, and specific powers above 500 watts/kg are believed to be achievable.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Harry W Dursch