Patent ID: 11866202
Assignee: FENIX SPACE, INC.
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 23:
24. A method of employing a launch system for orbital or suborbital air-launch of a payload, the method comprising the steps of:
releasably coupling a launch vehicle with a towed aircraft via an articulatable carriage to form an air-launch assembly, the articulatable carriage configured for selectively shifting the launch vehicle between a stowed position adjacent to the towed aircraft and a deployed position spaced from the towed aircraft;
configuring the air-launch assembly in the stowed position with the launch vehicle adjacent to the towed aircraft;
towing the air-launch assembly via a tow aircraft and interconnected tow cable to a first altitude;
releasing the air-launch assembly from tow at or above the first altitude;
activating a towed aircraft propulsion system and initiating a pull-up and climb maneuver of the towed aircraft to a second altitude;
after the steps of releasing the air-launch assembly from tow at or above the first altitude and activating the towed aircraft propulsion system and initiating a pull-up and climb maneuver of the towed aircraft to the second altitude, articulating the articulatable carriage to shift the air-launch assembly to the deployed position with the launch vehicle spaced from the towed aircraft;
releasing the launch vehicle from the articulatable carriage substantially simultaneously with the articulatable carriage reaching the deployed position; and
powering a launch vehicle propulsion system for further altitude gain or to meet specific mission requirements.