APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TRANSPORTING A SPACECRAFT AND A FLUID PROPELLANT FROM THE EARTH TO A SUBSTANTIALLY LOW GRAVITY ENVIRONMENT ABOVE THE EARTH

摘要

An apparatus for transporting a spacecraft and fluid propellant from the earth to a substantially low gravity environment above the earth with substantially reduced loading of the spacecraft due to forces upon the fluid propellant during the transport, the apparatus including a vehicle for carrying the spacecraft and the fluid propellant from the earth to a substantially low gravity environment above the earth; a plurality of external tanks disposed within the vehicle, external to the spacecraft, for containing the fluid propellant as the vehicle carries the spacecraft and the fluid propellant from the earth to the substantially low gravity environment above the earth; a plurality of spacecraft tanks disposed within the spacecraft for receiving the fluid propellant and for containing the fluid propellant; and means for transferring the fluid propellant from the external tanks the spacecraft tanks in the substantially low gravity environment above the earth.