Patents by Inventor Mark G. Rochefort

Mark G. Rochefort has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Spacecraft design enabling the compact nesting of multiple spacecraft in the launch vehicle
    Patent number: 4854526
    Abstract: A spacecraft (100) such as a satellite, is shaped roughly in the form of a cup with a hollow inner cavity (106) such that a plurality of such spacecraft may be stowed for launch in a nested stack (204), thereby enabling a greater number of satellites to be launched simultaneously with a single launch vehicle (201). The cup-shaped configuration results from the satellite having a base member (105) with panels or side walls (101a, 101b, 101c) extending from portions of the perimeter of the base member at a non-zero angle thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Mark G. Rochefort