Method for use of external secondary payloads

Abstract

An experiment system with six different re-entry experiment locations for testing high temperature re-entry materials, creating new thermal protection systems, proving innovative new concepts for spacecraft exterior surfaces and the incremental development of next generation aerospace materials. A commercial transportation system to and from orbit provides a 24-hour return cycle for the experiments on a surface actually re-entering the earth's atmosphere. Now using existing doors, hatches and other points on the reusable launch vehicle's exterior, the actual re-entry environment is experienced by test specimens with quick turn around for a wide variety of different re-entry temperatures ranges for broad testing and development purposes. The reusable launch vehicle launches, remains in orbit for 24 hours and returns to provide an actual test environment for the exterior experiment system.

1 . A method for introducing payloads into earth orbit, the method comprising: 
 attaching a first exterior experiment to a first external attachment position located on an outer surface portion of a reusable launch vehicle;    launching the reusable launch vehicle into orbit to thereby expose the first experiment to an external environment during launch and in orbit;    re-entering the reusable launch vehicle from orbit to thereby expose the first experiment to an external environment during re-entry; and    returning the first experiment to an owner of the first experiment.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising collecting data from the first experiment and delivering the collected data to the owner of the first experiment.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein collecting data from the first experiment is performed during at least one of a plurality of time periods comprising during launch, while in orbit and during re-entry.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein collecting data from the first experiment comprises monitoring a sensor associated with the first experiment.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 attaching a second exterior experiment to a second external attachment position located on an outer surface portion of the reusable launch vehicle, the second external attachment position being different from the first external attachment position;    launching the reusable launch vehicle into orbit to thereby expose the second experiment to an external environment during launch and in orbit;    re-entering the reusable launch vehicle from orbit to thereby expose the second experiment to an external environment during re-entry; and    returning the second experiment to an owner of the second experiment.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising collecting data from the second experiment and delivering the collected data to the owner of the second experiment.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein collecting data from the second experiment is performed during at least one of a plurality of time periods comprising during launch, while in orbit and during re-entry.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first experiment comprises a thermal protection system.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  for use with a reusable launch vehicle having an access panel on the outer surface portion thereof wherein the first attachment position is located on the access panel and attaching the first experiment comprises attaching the first experiment to the access panel.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the access panel on the outer surface portion of the reusable launch vehicle is removable from the reusable launch vehicle, the method further comprising removing the access panel.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising mounting the first experiment to an intermediate carrier plate wherein attaching the first experiment comprises attaching the carrier plate to the first attachment position.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  for use with a launch vehicle having a thermal protection system affixed to the launch vehicle to form the outer surface portion thereof, wherein attaching the first experiment comprises attaching the first experiment to the thermal protection system at the first attachment position.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the reusable launch vehicle has an elongated shape with first and second ends with a rocket engine positioned proximate the second end of the reusable launch vehicle, and attaching the first experiment to the first attachment position comprises attaching the first experiment to the outer surface portion of the reusable launch vehicle proximate the first end.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the reusable launch vehicle has an elongated shape with first and second ends with a rocket engine positioned proximate the second end of the reusable launch vehicle, and attaching the first experiment to the first attachment position comprises attaching the first experiment to the outer surface portion of the reusable launch vehicle intermediate the first and second ends.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the reusable launch vehicle has an elongated shape with first and second ends with a rocket engine positioned proximate the second end of the reusable launch vehicle, and attaching the first experiment to the first attachment position comprises attaching the first experiment to the outer surface portion of the reusable launch vehicle proximate the second end.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the outer surface portion of a reusable launch vehicle is exposed to a range of temperatures, the method further comprising selecting the first external attachment position based on a desired exposure temperature for the first experiment.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating data associated with the first experiment.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising storing the data generated from the first experiment and delivering the generated data to the owner of the first experiment.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein collecting data from the first experiment is performed during at least one of a plurality of time periods comprising during launch, while in orbit and during re-entry.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising mounting an attachment member to the interior portion of the aft skirt.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the attachment member is movably mounted to the interior portion of the aft skirt, the method further comprising attaching a second experiment to the attachment member and moving the attachment member to thereby position the second experiment outside the interior portion of the aft skirt.  
   
   
       22 . A method for introducing payloads into earth orbit using a reusable launch vehicle, the method comprising: 
 launching the reusable launch vehicle into orbit, the launch vehicle having an attachment member coupled thereto, the attachment member having a first experiment coupled thereto and being mounted in a location protected from a slipstream; and    during flight of the launch vehicle, moving the first experiment to a position away from the protected location and into the slipstream.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the first experiment is an experimental control surface.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising steering the attachment member to thereby steer the first experiment while positioned in the slipstream.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein moving the first experiment into he slipstream is performed during a re-entry of the launch vehicle.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising re-entering the launch vehicle from orbit and returning the first experiment to an owner of the first experiment.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the first experiment comprises a thermal protection system.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising generating associated with from the first experiment and delivering the generated data to the owner of the first experiment.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein generating data from the first experiment is performed during at least one of a plurality of time periods comprising during launch, while in orbit and during re-entry.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein generating data from the first experiment comprises monitoring a sensor associated with the first experiment.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising attaching a second exterior experiment to a second external attachment position located on an outer surface portion of the launch vehicle.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising re-entering the launch vehicle from orbit and returning the second experiment to an owner of the second experiment.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising generating data from the second experiment and delivering the generated data to the owner of the second experiment.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein generating data from the second experiment is performed during at least one of a plurality of time periods comprising during launch, while in orbit and during re-entry.