Patents by Inventor Charles Sota

Charles Sota 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).

  • Publication number: 20130181061
    Abstract: A cloud of small to medium-sized space debris is mitigated by releasing drag-reducing particles into the cloud from a dispenser vehicle, causing the particles to collide or otherwise interact with, and thereby exchange momentum with, the debris particles, reducing the orbiting velocity of the debris to a degree sufficient to cause the debris to de-orbit, or to accelerate the de-orbiting of the debris, to Earth. Certain embodiments also include a shepherd vehicle containing systems for identifying and tracking the debris cloud and for coalescing the debris cloud to increase the particles density in the cloud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: AeroJet-General Corporation
    Inventors: Christian B. Carpenter, David Q. King, Robert K. Masse, Charles Sota, Robert H. Bagshaw, Philip R. Horkin, David P. Patterson
  • Publication number: 20050223695
    Abstract: A thrust vector control system for a plug nozzle rocket engine for propelling and maneuvering a vehicle is disclosed. The plug nozzle rocket engine includes a housing having a nozzle throat, a plug disposed within the housing and positioned within the nozzle throat to define a space between the plug and the nozzle throat, and a thrust diverter moveably disposed relative to the housing to define an asymmetric pressure distribution along the plug for thrust-vectoring. In one embodiment, the thrust diverter is normally biased to a non-thrust-vectoring position, but is moveable in a plane substantially perpendicular to an axis extending longitudinally through the plug.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2004
    Publication date: October 13, 2005
    Inventors: Charles Sota, George Callis, Robert Masse