Patent ID: 8878111

Claim:
An airborne vehicle comprising: a first end portion; a second end portion; one or more aerodynamic control surfaces, wherein the aerodynamic control surfaces are configured to facilitate aerodynamic control of the vehicle when the vehicle is flying in a first orientation in which the first end portion leads the second end portion, and when the vehicle is flying in a second orientation in which the second end portion leads the first end portion, wherein each of the aerodynamic control surfaces has a low or non-swept forward edge and a highly-swept aft edge when the vehicle is in the first orientation, wherein the forward edge extends from a root portion of the control surface to a tip portion of the control surface and has a sweep angle of from about 85 degrees to about 90 degrees, and wherein the aft edge extends from the root portion to the tip portion and has a sweep angle of from about 15 degrees to about 40 degrees; and one or more rocket engine exhaust nozzles positioned toward the second end portion, wherein the forward edge portions of the bidirectional control surfaces face generally away from the second end portion and the aft edge portions of the bidirectional control surfaces face generally away from the first end portion, wherein each of the bidirectional control surfaces is configured to rotate back and forth about a corresponding pivot axis, and wherein the pivot axis is positioned between a maximum thickness of the root portion and the first edge portion.