US 12,391,408 B2
Manned space station with solid structure
Marc Peter Hess, Taufkirchen (DE); Dean Robert Mosseveld, Taufkirchen (DE); Torsten Vogel, Taufkirchen (DE); and Günther Dorst, Taufkirchen (DE)
Assigned to Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Taufkirchen (DE)
Filed by Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Taufkirchen (DE)
Filed on Nov. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/992,201.
Claims priority of application No. 22205607 (EP), filed on Nov. 4, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0150042 A1, May 9, 2024
Int. Cl. B64G 1/12 (2006.01); B64G 1/22 (2006.01)
CPC B64G 1/12 (2013.01) [B64G 1/223 (2023.08)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A space station for manned outer space missions, the space station comprising:
a housing forming an interior space sealable against an external surrounding environment of the housing;
at least one bulkhead arranged within the housing; and
an inner chamber arranged within the housing;
wherein the housing comprises an outer surface, a first axial end face, and a second axial end face;
wherein the first axial end face is arranged opposite the second axial end face, and the outer surface extends from the first axial end face to the second axial end face along a longitudinal axis of the housing;
wherein the inner chamber extends along the longitudinal axis of the housing from the first axial end face to the second axial end face,
wherein the at least one bulkhead is arranged in the housing such that the at least one bulkhead partitions the interior space into at least first and second compartments that are sealed from each other by the at least one bulkhead;
wherein the inner chamber comprises a wall encircling an inner cavity, and the inner chamber extends within the housing such that the inner chamber adjoins each of the at least first and second compartments;
wherein the wall of the inner chamber comprises a plurality of openings, wherein at least one opening of the plurality of openings is assigned to each of the at least first and second compartments, respectively, and wherein each opening of the plurality of openings is sealable against the respective one of the at least first and second compartments,
wherein a first docking port to the inner chamber is arranged at the first end face, and a second docking port to the inner chamber is arranged at the second end face, and the first and second docking ports are configured to grant access to the inner cavity of the inner chamber from a vehicle that has docked to one of the first or second docking ports,
wherein the second docking port is configured to interface a launcher,
wherein the inner chamber is configured to serve as a main load carrying element during launch, with the second docking port being a primary structural interface to the launcher and the first docking port being configured for mounting an additional module,
wherein the inner chamber is arranged in the interior space formed by the housing,
wherein the at least first and second compartments are axial segments of the space station arranged in a longitudinal direction between the first axial end face and the second axial end face,
wherein the first compartment is closer to the first axial end face than the second compartment, and the second compartment is closer to the second end face than the first compartment,
wherein the at least one bulkhead extends from the wall of the inner chamber to an inner surface of a wall of the housing, and
wherein each of the at least first and second compartments circumferentially surrounds the entirety of the inner chamber.