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

Claim 24:
25. A method of employing a launch system for orbital or suborbital air-launch of a payload, the method comprising the steps of:
assembling a launch vehicle on an articulatable carriage outside of a towed aircraft, the articulatable carriage being configured to be selectively free-standing to facilitate assembly of the launch vehicle thereon;
after the step of assembling the launch vehicle on the articulatable carriage, releasably coupling the launch vehicle with the towed aircraft via the 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; and
towing the air-launch assembly via a tow aircraft and interconnected tow cable to a first altitude.