Patent ID: 8122810

Claim:
An interception system comprising: a detection system; a launch system; and a rocket-towed barrier for intercepting a projectile, the rocket-towed barrier including: a rocket, a launch tube a barrier element, and a tether system affixed to the barrier and to a fuselage of the rocket, wherein the detection system detects the presence of a projectile and generates an instruction in response to the detection, wherein the launch system launches the rocket-towed barrier along a trajectory in response to the instruction, wherein, before launch, the barrier element is folded and wrapped around the rocket, and the rocket, the barrier element and the tether system are positioned within the launch tube, wherein, at launch, the rocket exits the launch tube and pulls the tether system out of the launch tube, and the tether system pulls the barrier element out of the launch tube, and wherein the barrier element of the rocket-towed barrier after exiting the launch tube unfolds in an area directly behind the rocket and inflates to a maximum diameter in response to an aerodynamic force applied to the barrier element along the trajectory of the rocket.