Patents by Inventor Simon BARRACLOUGH

Simon BARRACLOUGH 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).

  • Space debris interception
    Patent number: 10640239
    Abstract: A vehicle for intercepting a target object orbiting in space is provided, comprising a launching portion for driving the vehicle into an orbit, and an interception portion for intercepting a target object when the vehicle is in orbit, wherein the interception portion comprises means for engaging with the target object and wherein the launching portion is arranged to drive the vehicle into a first elliptical orbit and the vehicle is arranged to adopt a second elliptical orbit when engaged with the target object in which the first elliptical orbit is arranged so as to intersect the orbit of the target object at an interception point, and the second elliptical orbit is such that the vehicle is arranged to move from the interception point towards the Earth's atmosphere when engaged with the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE LIMITED
    Inventors: Jaime Reed, Simon Barraclough, Andrew Ratcliffe
  • SPACE DEBRIS INTERCEPTION
    Publication number: 20170313447
    Abstract: A vehicle for intercepting a target object orbiting in space is provided, comprising a launching portion for driving the vehicle into an orbit, and an interception portion for intercepting a target object when the vehicle is in orbit, wherein the interception portion comprises means for engaging with the target object and wherein the launching portion is arranged to drive the vehicle into a first elliptical orbit and the vehicle is arranged to adopt a second elliptical orbit when engaged with the target object in which the first elliptical orbit is arranged so as to intersect the orbit of the target object at an interception point, and the second elliptical orbit is such that the vehicle is arranged to move from the interception point towards the Earth's atmosphere when engaged with the target object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Applicant: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE LIMITED
    Inventors: Jaime REED, Simon BARRACLOUGH, Andrew RATCLIFFE