Inflatable docking station/garage for Mars rover
First Claim
1. An inflatable garage comprising:
- walls made of a self-rigidizing material and a roof portion made of a self-rigidizing material, the roof portion having at least one solar panel integral thereto;
an inflator for inflating said inflatable garage upon deployment at a desired location, the inflator including an inflation gas in a sealed container that makes the self-rigidizing material more rigid;
an interior portion suitable for housing a vehicle therein;
a first communication system for communicating between said vehicle and said garage;
a second communication system for communicating between a remote location and at least one of said garage and said vehicle; and
a heating and cooling system for providing a proper temperature for storing the vehicle, the heating and cooling system capable of converting a temperature in the garage of −
200°
F. into a temperature of between about 40 degrees and about 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inflatable docking station for a Mars roving vehicle (Mars rover) provides a recharging station as well as a storage facility for the Mars rover during adverse environmental conditions. The docking station/garage allows for extended operational life for the Mars Rover, allows for the Mars rover to operate at the polar regions of Mars, where extreme cold conditions restrict rover operation, and provides for a warmer habitat for the Mars rover. Conventional planetary roving vehicles only be deployed from the warmer equator region of the planet surface. However, these roving vehicles may never explore the polar regions because the roving vehicle may not have enough stored power. The docking station/garage provides a remote outpost for, among other things, storing and recharging the Mars Rover to allow it to reach more remote areas.
19 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An inflatable garage comprising:
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walls made of a self-rigidizing material and a roof portion made of a self-rigidizing material, the roof portion having at least one solar panel integral thereto; an inflator for inflating said inflatable garage upon deployment at a desired location, the inflator including an inflation gas in a sealed container that makes the self-rigidizing material more rigid; an interior portion suitable for housing a vehicle therein; a first communication system for communicating between said vehicle and said garage; a second communication system for communicating between a remote location and at least one of said garage and said vehicle; and a heating and cooling system for providing a proper temperature for storing the vehicle, the heating and cooling system capable of converting a temperature in the garage of −
200°
F. into a temperature of between about 40 degrees and about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An inflatable garage for storing or docking a rover, comprising:
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walls made of a self-rigidizing material, an inflator for inflating said garage upon deployment at a desired location, the inflator including an inflation gas in a sealed container that makes the self-rigidizing material more rigid; an outer section, enclosed by a top portion and at least two side portions, said outer section having an opening on two opposing sides, sized to allow said rover to pass therein; an inner section, attached to said outer section; a door on a portion of an exterior wall of said inner section, said door communicating said inner section with one of said two opposing sides of said outer portion, thereby allowing said vehicle to pass through said outer portion into said inner portion; a first communication system for communicating between said rover and said garage; a second communication system for communicating between an Earth-based remote control station and at least one of said garage and said rover; a heating and cooling system for providing a proper temperature of between about 40 degrees and about 70 degrees Fahrenheit for storing said rover; solar panels disposed over at least a portion of an exterior surface of said garage; an energy storing system for storing electrical energy generated by said solar panels; a power box for connecting said rover to electrical energy either from said solar panels or from said energy storing system; a roof portion of said garage having at least one solar wing panel section attached thereto, wherein when said garage is inflated, said solar wing panel section provides additional solar panel surface area; area sensors to detect the location of said vehicle and guide said vehicle to said garage when said vehicle completes a mission; guidance sensors for guiding said vehicle inside of said garage; and precision sensors for accurately position said vehicle at a predetermined position inside said garage. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification