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:
Aug. 12, 2014
Filed:
Mar. 22, 2011
Applicant:
Michael J. Dunn, Federal Way, WA (US);
Inventor:
Michael J. Dunn, Federal Way, WA (US);
Assignee:
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B64G 1/10 (2006.01); B64G 1/56 (2006.01); B64G 1/00 (2006.01); B64G 4/00 (2006.01); B64G 1/24 (2006.01); B64G 1/40 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B64G 1/56 (2013.01); B64G 1/007 (2013.01); B64G 4/00 (2013.01); B64G 1/1078 (2013.01); B64G 1/242 (2013.01); B64G 1/401 (2013.01); B64G 1/403 (2013.01);
Abstract
A method comprises removing space debris having a relatively low ballistic coefficient by hastening orbital decay of the debris. A transient gaseous cloud is created at an altitude of at least 100 km above Earth. The cloud has a density sufficient to slow the debris so the debris falls into Earth's atmosphere.