Spacecraft reentry breakup recorder

• US 20040254697A1
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aerospace Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aerospace Corporation
• Inventors: Gurevich, Leon, Ailor, William Henry, Bywater, Ronald John
• Granted Patent: US 6,895,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/62 Systems for re-entry into the earth's atmosphere; Retarding or landing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 3/00 Observing or tracking cosmonautic vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

One or more small self-contained reentry breakup recorders are disposed within a spacecraft and each includes a sensor suite for collecting and recording collected and recorded sensory data during reentry breakup of the spacecraft, and includes a communications system for broadcasting the collected and recorded sensory data after breakup and before impact with the surface of the earth to a remote communication system for preserving the sensory data of the breakup as well as data relating to critical events occurring prior to breakup. An internal GPS receiver provides sensory positional data of the reentry and breakup positions.

Claims

1. A recorder for recording sensory data during a breakup period during breakup of a host craft and for broadcasting sensory data after the breakup period after a critical event, the recorder comprising,

a housing comprising a heat shield, comprising an antenna cover, and comprising a support frame,

a craft release for attaching the recorder to the host craft during operational use of the host craft and for releasing the recorder from the host craft during the breakup period,

a cover release for attaching the antenna cover to the recorder during the breakup period and for releasing the antenna cover after the breakup period,

a sensor for sensing and collecting the sensory data,

a memory for recording the collected sensory data as recorded sensory data,

a communication subsystem for broadcasting the recorded sensory data,

an antenna disposed under the antenna cover for transmitting the recorded sensory data during broadcasting after the breakup period, and

a power subsystem for providing power to the communication subsystem.

2. The recorder of claim 1 wherein,

the recorder is released during the breakup period.

3. The recorder of claim 1 wherein,

the heat shield or other protective material encapsulates the recorder.

4. The recorder of claim 1 wherein,

the support frame internally supports the sensor, communication subsystem, memory, antenna, and power subsystem.

5. The recorder of claim 1 wherein,

the power subsystem comprises a battery.

6. The recorder of claim 1 wherein,

the sensor is a GPS receiver for providing positional data, and

the sensory data comprises the positional data.

7. The recorder of claim 1 wherein,

the sensor is an accelerometer for providing acceleration data, and

the sensory data comprises the acceleration data.

8. The recorder of claim 1 wherein,

the sensor is a temperature sensor for providing temperature data, and

the sensory data comprises the temperature data.

9. The recorder of claim 1 wherein,

the sensor is a pressure sensor for providing pressure data, and

the sensory data comprises the pressure data.

10. The recorder of claim 1 further comprising,

a microcontroller for controlling collection, recording, and broadcasting of the sensory data.

11. The recorder of claim 1 wherein,

the antenna is an omnidirectional patch antenna.

12. The recorder of claim 1 wherein,

the craft is a spacecraft, and

the breakup period extends during reentry of the spacecraft into atmosphere of earth.

13. The recorder of claim 1 wherein,

the craft is a spacecraft,

the breakup period extends during reentry of the spacecraft into atmosphere of earth, and

the spacecraft experiences heating due to atmospheric friction during reentry.

14. The recorder of claim 1 wherein,

the craft release comprises a frangibolt.

15. The recorder of claim 1 wherein,

the recorder release comprises a frangibolt.

16. the recorder of claim 1 wherein,

the recorder continues to collect, record, and broadcast sensory input data after impact with earth ground.

17. The recorder of claim 1 wherein,

craft release is a heat sensitive material disintegrating during heating during the breakup period.

18. The recorder of claim 1 wherein,

the sensor comprises a wakeup temperature sensor, and

the recorder starts recording the sensory data at a predetermined temperature sensed by the temperature sensor.

19. The recover of claim 1 wherein,

the sensor comprises a GPS receiver, and

recorder starts recording the sensory data at a predetermined altitude sensed by the GPS receiver.