Patent ID: 8408497

Claim:
An aerospace system, comprising: a vertical take-off and landing launch vehicle having a first end and a second end generally opposite the first end, the launch vehicle being elongated along a vehicle axis extending between the first end and the second end; a propulsion system carried by the launch vehicle and having at least one nozzle positioned at the first end of the launch vehicle to launch the launch vehicle; a deployable and stowable, outwardly facing surface carried by the launch vehicle, the deployable surface being moveable relative to the launch vehicle between a stowed position and a deployed position, the deployable surface being configured to produce a first vehicle cross-sectional area generally normal to the vehicle axis when stowed and a second vehicle cross-sectional area generally normal to the vehicle axis when deployed, the second cross-sectional area being closer to the second end of the launch vehicle than the first end and being greater than the first cross-sectional area and greater than all vehicle cross sectional areas generally normal to the vehicle axis located between the first end and the second cross-sectional area; and a controller carried by the launch vehicle and configured to stow the deployable surface during vehicle ascent, and to deploy the deployable surface during vehicle descent.