Aerodynamic and spatial composite flight aircraft, and related piloting method

摘要

An aircraft having propulsion units for both conventional aircraft flight in the atmosphere and for high-altitude operation as a rocket. The aircraft is divided into a payload compartment and a compartment containing rocket propulsion unit propellant or fuel, and includes a long transverse wing with a small back-sweep to favor lift in the dense layers of the atmosphere and to thus make it possible to climb to high altitudes at a subsonic speed before using the rocket propulsion units. The return flight portion is performed by gliding or controlled as for a conventional aircraft.

主权项

1. A method of piloting an aircraft comprising:
performing a first aerodynamic flight step at a subsonic speed between Mach 0.5 and Mach 0.8 using aeronautical engines without in-flight refueling, performing a second space launch flight step using rocket propulsion units after controlling an aircraft inclination change between the first step and the second step, performing a third gliding descent step with a fuselage substantially perpendicular to trajectory, and performing a fourth aerodynamic flight landing step after repositioning the aircraft substantially in the direction of the trajectory between the third flight step and the fourth flight step, wherein said aircraft includes a fixed, substantially straight and elongated wing in a lateral direction of the fuselage of the aircraft, wherein said aircraft is piloted using a first propulsion mode using said aeronautical engines and using a second propulsion mode using said rocket propulsion units, and wherein said aircraft is a single-stage spacecraft constructed to achieve lift without a separate auxiliary launcher.