ROCKET-POWERED VEHICLE RACING COMPETITION

• US 20080217473A1
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phantom Space Corp.
• Original Assignee: Rocket Racing, Inc.
• Inventors: Diamandis, Peter H., Whitelaw, Granger, D'Angelo, Michael R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,934,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/1R
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 5/00 Ground equipment for vehicles, e.g. starting towers, fuelling arrangements B64G3/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method for racing rocket-powered vehicles directly against one another is provided in which a first rocket-powered vehicle simultaneously races against a second rocket-powered vehicle to be the first to complete a race course. The method may include the first and second rocket-powered vehicles performing a pre-determined maneuver while proximate a group of spectators, and/or the rocket-powered vehicles strategically performing the steps of gliding and boosting the flight of their rocket-powered vehicle in accordance with a pre-determined maximum fuel criteria. The method further may include permitting spectator interaction with participants of the racing competition and enabling spectators to compete with actual participants via virtual vehicles. The method may also include the rocket-powered vehicles performing a refueling operation. The method may further include providing audible or visual identifiers of the vehicles. In addition, the method may include providing safety data to ensure safe separation between competing vehicles.

Claims

1. A method for racing an aerial vehicle, the method comprising:

providing race criteria to a group of racing participants, the race criteria identifying an aerial race course;

launching into a first aerial race course a first aerial vehicle; and

launching into a second aerial race course a second aerial vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the race criteria comprises three-dimensional safety data for preventing collisions between competing vehicles.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the three-dimensional safety data comprises a first vehicle-specific course for the first aerial vehicle and a second vehicle-specific course for the second aerial vehicle, and the step of maintaining a safe distance comprises the first and second vehicles each staying within its vehicle-specific course.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a heads up display in one or more of the aerial vehicles, the heads up display comprising:

a three-dimensional view of a race course based on the race course identified in the race criteria; and

a location identifier showing the current location of the vehicle in the race course.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing racing data to a spectator.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising providing racing data in real-time to the spectator.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein providing the racing data to the spectator in real time permits the spectator to compete with one or more of the aerial vehicles using a virtual vehicle.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a visual representation of the vehicles racing to a spectator.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second race courses are at least partially separated from one another.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the aerial vehicles is a rocket-powered vehicle.

2-6. -6. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

18. An airport or spaceport comprising:

a launch pad or takeoff area for racing at least one rocket-powered vehicle or spaceship; and

a public viewing area.

19. The airport or spaceport of claim 18 wherein said public viewing area comprises a closable debris shutter.

20. The airport or spaceport of claim 18 further comprising an exhibition area.

21. A system for regulating fuel in an aerial race comprising:

racing aerial vehicles; and

establishing rules which regulate the maximum volume of fuel which can be provided to the aerial vehicles in the aerial race.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the rules include requiring each aerial vehicle in the race to perform at least one refueling operation during the race.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the rules require the aerial vehicles to replace a set of partially expended fuel tanks with a refueled set of fuel tanks.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein a pilot of at least one of the aerial vehicles periodically conserves fuel during the race.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein periodically conserving fuel comprises the aerial vehicles alternating between gliding and applying power to its propulsion system while navigating a race course.

26. A method for identifying one rocket-powered vehicle from another rocket-powered vehicle comprising:

flying at least two rocket-powered vehicles; and

emitting a visual indicator from each rocket-powered vehicle to distinguish each rocket-powered vehicle from one another.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the visual indicator comprises smoke.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the smoke comprises a vehicle-specific, colored smoke.