Rocket-powered vehicle racing competition

• US 7,934,684 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, TIEN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US11/927,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20080217473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 244/171.4, 244/158.9, 244/158.1
• US Class Current: 244/171.4
• 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 actual rocket-powered vehicle having at least one rocket engine, the method comprising:

providing race criteria to a group of racing participants;

providing an aerial race course;

horizontally launching from an air strip into a first aerial race course a first actual rocket-powered vehicle with at least one pilot or crew member in the first actual rocket-powered vehicle, the first aerial race course located near the air strip and visible to spectators viewing the race;

horizontally launching from an air strip into a second aerial race course a second actual rocket-powered vehicle with at least one pilot or crew member in the second actual rocket-powered vehicle, the second aerial race course located near the air strip and visible to spectators viewing the race;

igniting the at least one rocket engine of the first actual rocket-powered vehicle and thereby boosting the first actual rocket-powered vehicle;

shutting off the at least one rocket engine of the first actual rocket-powered vehicle and thereby gliding the first actual rocket-powered vehicle;

subsequently igniting the at least one rocket engine of the first actual rocket-powered vehicle and thereby boosting the first actual rocket-powered vehicle;

subsequently shutting off the at least one rocket engine of the first actual rocket-powered vehicle and thereby gliding the first actual rocket-powered vehicle;

igniting the at least one rocket engine of the second actual rocket-powered vehicle and thereby boosting the second actual rocket-powered vehicle;

shutting off the at least one rocket engine of the second actual rocket-powered vehicle and thereby gliding the second actual rocket-powered vehicle;

subsequently igniting the at least one rocket engine of the second actual rocket-powered vehicle and thereby boosting the second actual rocket-powered vehicle;

subsequently shutting off the at least one rocket engine of the second actual rocket-powered vehicle and thereby gliding the second actual rocket-powered vehicle;

flying the actual rocket-powered vehicles within a proximity to the spectators so that the actual rocket-powered vehicles are visible to the spectators and the multiple ignitions of the rocket engines of the rocket-powered vehicles are audible to the spectators;

horizontally landing onto an air strip the first actual rocket-powered vehicle; and

horizontally landing onto an air strip the second actual rocket-powered vehicle.

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

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the three-dimensional safety data comprises a first vehicle-specific course for the first rocket-powered vehicle and a second vehicle-specific course for the second rocket-powered vehicle, and the step of maintaining a safe distance comprises the first and second vehicles each staying within its vehicle-specific course.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a heads up display in one or more of the rocket-powered 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.

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

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising providing racing data in real-time to the spectator.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein providing the racing data to the spectator in real time permits the spectator to compete with one or more of the rocket-powered vehicles using a virtual vehicle.

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

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

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the race criteria comprises rapidly refueling at least one of the actual rocket-powered vehicles.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the aerial race course comprises a three-dimensional race course.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the race criteria comprises limiting fuel quantity of at least one of the actual rocket-powered vehicles.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the race criteria comprises a quantity of fuel sufficient for a maximum four minute burn time.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising burning the at least one rocket engine of at least one of the rocket-powered vehicles for a pre-determined amount of time.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising thrusting at least one of the rocket-powered vehicles for a pre-determined amount of time.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising launching the first actual rocket-powered vehicle and the second actual rocket-powered vehicle substantially simultaneously.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising staggering the launch of the first actual rocket-powered vehicle and the launch of the second actual rocket-powered vehicle.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising flying at least one of the actual rocket-powered vehicles in a substantially vertical flight path.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising gliding at least one of the actual rocket-powered vehicles in for landing on the air strip.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising repeating take oft and landing of at least one of the actual rocket-powered vehicles.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising at least one of the rocket-powered vehicles performing a pre-determined maneuver.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the maneuver comprises a touch-and-go maneuver.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising selectively applying thrust to at least one of the actual rocket-powered vehicles to conserve fuel.

24. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a visually enhanced plume via a visualization system from at least one of the actual rocket-powered vehicles to indicate flying path.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing an aerial race course comprises providing a virtual tunnel.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the virtual tunnel further comprises a virtual vehicle specific tunnel.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the vehicle specific tunnel is spaced a sufficient distance from a second vehicle specific tunnel.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the tunnel comprises a flight envelope for individual rocket-powered vehicles.

29. The method of claim 1 further comprising changing the aerial race course from lap to lap.

30. The method of claim 1 further comprising changing the aerial race course randomly.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein the aerial race course comprises a three-dimensional safety bubble.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising displaying the safety bubble to spectators.

33. The method of claim 31 further comprising displaying the safety bubble of one rocket-powered vehicle to the other rocket-powered vehicle.

34. The method of claim 31 further comprising receiving warnings if at least one of the rocket-powered vehicles approaches the safety bubble.

35. The method of claim 31 further comprising increasing or decreasing the size of the safety bubble during the race.

36. The method of claim 1 further comprising supporting each of the actual rocket-powered vehicles with a support station and a dedicated airstrip.

37. The method of claim 1 further comprising using at least one of the rocket engines for a vertical takeoff.

38. The method of claim 1 further comprising selectively controlling thrust settings of at least one of the rocket engines.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the thrust settings provide both thrust for vertical takeoffs and for maneuvering through the aerial race course.

40. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing thrust for taxiing along a runway using at least one of the rocket engines.

41. The method of claim 1 further comprising varying a finite number of thrust levels.

42. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the rocket engines comprises a nozzle.

43. The method of claim 42 further comprising moving the nozzle for maneuvering at least one of the actual rocket-powered vehicles.

44. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a significant boost of at least one of the rocket engines.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the rocket engine remains ignited until the propellant burns out.

46. The method of claim 1 further comprising firing rocket boosters at various times.

47. The method of claim 1 further comprising producing an audible sound for spectators that is specific to each rocket-powered vehicle.

48. The method of claim 1 wherein the race criteria comprises a maximum racing height of between approximately one-half to one and a half miles above ground.