The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 02, 1993
Filed:
Aug. 07, 1991
Ian O MacConochie, Yorktown, VA (US);
Abstract
An improved shuttle with variable internal volume is provided by the present invention. Space shuttle orbiter 10 includes a telescoping main propulsion unit 20. This main propulsion unit 20 contains the main rocket engines 22 and fuel tanks 21 and telescopes into the shuttle. A variable cavity 30 is located between this unit 20 and the crew compartment 25. Accordingly, the positioning of the telescoping main propulsion unit 20 determines the volume of the variable cavity 30. Thus, the volume of the variable length of the entire shuttle 10 may be increased or decreased to achieve desired configurations for optimal storage. In one embodiment of the present invention, paylod 35 also telescopes within variable cavity 30.