Orbit transfer vehicle with support services

Abstract

The excess space and weight capacity of a conventional launch vehicle for a high-energy orbit, such as GEO, is used to deploy satellites to a low-energy orbit, such as LEO. In a preferred embodiment, an orbit-transfer vehicle provides the navigation, propulsion, and control systems required to transport a payload satellite from a high-energy-transfer orbit, such as GTO, to a predetermined low-energy orbit. Upon entering the low-energy orbit, the payload satellite is released from the orbit-transfer vehicle. To reduce the fuel requirements for this deployment via the orbit-transfer vehicle, a preferred embodiment includes aerobraking to bring the satellite into a low-earth orbit. In a preferred embodiment of this method of deployment, the provider of the orbit-transfer vehicle identifies and secures available excess capacity on launch vehicles, and allocates the excess capacity to the satellites requiring low-earth orbit deployment, thereby providing a deployment means that is virtually transparent to the purchaser of this deployment service.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method of deploying a payload satellite into a target orbit having an associated target-orbit energy-level, comprising: 
 attaching the payload satellite to an orbit-transfer vehicle,    attaching the orbit-transfer vehicle and the payload satellite to a launch vehicle,    launching the launch vehicle,    deploying the orbit-transfer vehicle with the attached payload satellite from the launch vehicle with an associated kinetic energy, the kinetic energy associated with the orbit-transfer vehicle being substantially different from the target-orbit energy-level associated with the target orbit, and    maneuvering the orbit-transfer vehicle into the target orbit via a change in the kinetic energy associated with the orbit-transfer vehicle, to an energy level corresponding to the target-orbit energy-level, wherein    the maneuvering of the orbit-transfer vehicle is effected via a plurality of functional components, and    at least a subset of the functional components are also used by the payload satellite.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subset of functional components used by the payload satellite includes at least one of: 
 a communications device,    a power regulation device,    an energy storage device,    a heating system,    a navigation device, and    an attitude control device.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further including 
 detaching at least some components of the orbit-transfer vehicle from the payload satellite when the payload satellite is maneuvered to the target orbit.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further including 
 aerobraking the payload satellite to effect at least a portion of the change in the kinetic energy associated with the payload satellite.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further including 
 applying thrust to the payload satellite to effect at least a portion of the change in the kinetic energy associated with the payload satellite.    
     
     
         6 . A method of facilitating the deployment of a payload satellite into a target orbit having an associated target-orbit energy-level, comprising: 
 identifying an excess capacity on a scheduled launch vehicle having an associated transfer orbit that has an associated orbit-transfer energy level that is substantially different than the target-orbit energy-level,    facilitating an attachment of the payload satellite to an orbit-transfer vehicle,    facilitating an attachment of the orbit-transfer vehicle with payload satellite to the launch vehicle,    facilitating a deployment of the orbit-transfer vehicle into the transfer orbit via the launch vehicle, the orbit-transfer vehicle thereby having a kinetic energy corresponding to the orbit-transfer energy level,    facilitating a maneuvering of the orbit-transfer vehicle to the target orbit via a substantial change in the kinetic energy of the orbit-transfer vehicle, from the orbit-transfer energy level to the target-orbit energy-level, and    facilitating a sharing of functional components used for maneuvering the orbit-transfer vehicle with the payload satellite.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the functional components used by the payload satellite includes at least one of: 
 a communications device,    a power regulation device,    an energy storage device,    a navigation device, and    an attitude control device.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further including 
 facilitating an aerobraking of the orbit-transfer vehicle so as to achieve the target orbit.    
     
     
         9 . An orbit-transfer vehicle comprising: 
 a coupling that facilitates an attachment of a payload satellite to the orbit-transfer vehicle,    a propulsion system that is configured to facilitate maneuvering the payload satellite from a first orbit to a target orbit, and    a spacecraft kernel that is designed independent of the orbit-transfer vehicle, and independent of the payload satellite, and is configured to provide an integrated communications system for use by the orbit-transfer vehicle.    
     
     
         10 . The orbit-transfer vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein 
 the spacecraft kernel is further configured to provide regulated power to the orbit-transfer vehicle.    
     
     
         11 . The orbit-transfer vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein 
 the spacecraft kernel is further configured to provide regulated power to the payload satellite.    
     
     
         12 . The orbit-transfer vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein 
 the spacecraft kernel is further configured to provide communications to the orbit-transfer vehicle.    
     
     
         13 . The orbit-transfer vehicle of  claim 12 , wherein 
 the spacecraft kernel is further configured to provide regulated power to the payload satellite.    
     
     
         14 . The orbit-transfer vehicle of  claim 9 , further including 
 a second coupling that facilitates attaching the orbit-transfer vehicle to a launch vehicle,    the launch vehicle being configured to deploy the orbit-transfer vehicle to the first orbit.    
     
     
         15 . The orbit-transfer vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein 
 the kernel is configured to remain with the payload satellite when the payload satellite is placed in the target orbit.