MITIGATION OF ORBITING SPACE DEBRIS BY MOMENTUM EXCHANGE WITH DRAG-INDUCING PARTICLES

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

United States of America Patent

APP PUB NO 20130181061A1
SERIAL NO

13704554

Stats

ATTORNEY / AGENT: (SPONSORED)

Importance

Loading Importance Indicators... loading....

Abstract

See full text

A cloud of small to medium-sized space debris is mitigated by releasing drag-reducing particles into the cloud from a dispenser vehicle, causing the particles to collide or otherwise interact with, and thereby exchange momentum with, the debris particles, reducing the orbiting velocity of the debris to a degree sufficient to cause the debris to de-orbit, or to accelerate the de-orbiting of the debris, to Earth. Certain embodiments also include a shepherd vehicle containing systems for identifying and tracking the debris cloud and for coalescing the debris cloud to increase the particles density in the cloud.

First Claim

See full text

Other Claims data not available

Family

Loading Family data... loading....

Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddress
AEROJET ROCKETDYNE INCP O BOX 13222 SACRAMENTO CA 95813-6000

International Classification(s)

loading....
  • 2011 Application Filing Year
  • B64D Class
  • 516 Applications Filed
  • 404 Patents Issued To-Date
  • 78.30 % Issued To-Date

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Bagshaw, Robert H Sammamish, US 1 1
Carpenter, Christian B Monroe, US 1 1
Horkin, Philip R Carnation, US 3 70
King, David Q Woodinville, US 8 77
Masse, Robert K Redmond, US 16 242
Patterson, David P Bellevue, US 4 273
Sota, Charles Kirkland, US 1 1

Cited Art Landscape

Load Citation

Patent Citation Ranking

  • 1 Citation Count
  • B64D Class
  • 4.31 % this patent is cited more than
  • 12 Age
Citation count rangeNumber of patents cited in rangeNumber of patents cited in various citation count ranges572289201 - 1011 - 2021 - 3041 - 5005101520253035404550556065707580

Forward Cite Landscape

Load Citation