Peter Buck

US Patent:

61232955, Sep 26, 2000

Filed:

Jan 20, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/009355

Inventors:

Mark Harry Wexler - Kent WA
Peter Andrew Buck - Valencia CA
Timothy D. Iwanczyk - Slidell LA

Assignee:

Lockheed Martin Corporation - Palmdale CA

International Classification:

B64G 110

US Classification:

244160

Abstract:

An improved fuel tank for a lifting body re-entry vehicle having a particular external shape comprising four elongated lobes each having an external surface, each of the external surfaces having selected cylindrical and conical shapes, the lobes being selectively mateable to form a combined external configuration having a multiplicity of cylindrical and conical shapes conformable to at least a portion of the external shape of the vehicle. The cylindrical and conical shapes have variable radii at selected cross-sections thereof, such radii being selected for forming the external configuration. In a particular embodiment, the fuel tank has an initial portion, a midsection portion and a final portion and the cross-sectional shape of the initial portion of the fuel tank is that of two overlapping circles whose centers are positioned above one another, each of the circles being formed by two of the four lobes. In the midportion of the fuel tank, the cross-sectional shape is that of four overlapping circles whose centers are positioned to form a four-lobed closed arcuate figure. In the final portion of the fuel tank, the cross-sectional shape of the fuel tank is that of two overlapping circles whose centers are positioned aside one another, each of the circles being formed by two of the four lobes.