In the forties of the last century, the military and scientists of the leading countries assessed the full potential of missile technology, and also understood their prospects. The further development of missiles was associated with the use of new ideas and technologies, as well as with the solution of a number of pressing issues. In particular, there was the issue of returning missiles and other promising equipment to the ground with a safe landing and keeping the payload intact and safe. An extremely interesting, albeit unpromising, version of the landing complex was proposed in 1950 by the American inventor Dallas B. Driskill.
At the turn of the forties and fifties, topical issues of returning missiles to the ground were solved quite simply. Combat missiles simply fell on the target and were destroyed along with it, and carriers of scientific equipment safely descended on parachutes. However, the parachute landing imposed restrictions on the size and weight of the aircraft, and it was obvious that other means would be needed in the future. In this regard, with enviable regularity, various options for specialized ground complexes were proposed.
The Driskill System in Mechanix Illustrated Magazine
Landing complex of a new type
By the beginning of 1950, the American inventor Dallas B. Driskill proposed his version of the landing system. Previously, he offered various developments in various fields of technology, and now decided to deal with missile systems. In mid-January 1950, the inventor applied for a patent. In April 1952, the priority of D. B. Driskilla has been confirmed by US patent US138857A. The topic of the document was designated as "Apparatus for landing rockets and rocket ships" - "Apparatus for landing rockets and rocket ships."
The landing complex of a new type was intended for the safe landing of missiles or similar aircraft with passengers or cargo. The project provided for a horizontal landing with smooth speed damping and the elimination of excessive overloads. Also, the inventor did not forget about the passenger service facilities.
The main element of the landing complex was proposed to make a telescopic system of three large tubular parts corresponding to the dimensions of the landing aircraft. It was the telescopic device that was responsible for receiving the rocket and braking it without significant overloads. Various options for its use were envisaged, but the design did not undergo major changes.
Design and principle of operation
According to the patent, the functions of the body of the landing device were to be performed by a large-diameter pipe-pipe plugged from the end, capable of accommodating other parts. Inside it, next to the end-cover, it was possible to install a brake for the final stop of the moving content. Below in the end, a hatch was provided for access to the inner space, as well as for disembarking the passengers of the rocket.
Inside the largest glass, it was proposed to place a second unit of a similar design, but of a smaller diameter. On the outer surface of the second glass, sliding rings were provided to interact with the inside of the larger part. There was a brake inside the second glass, and its own hatch was provided at the end. The third pipe-glass was supposed to repeat the design of the second, but differ in smaller dimensions. In addition, expansion was foreseen at its free end. The inner diameter of the smallest glass was determined by the transverse dimensions of the cylindrical body of the missile being received.
On the telescopic system, it was proposed to install radio equipment for launching the rocket onto the landing trajectory and keeping it on it. Appropriate devices should have been present on the vehicle to be landed. The landing complex could be equipped with a cab for operators. Depending on the method of installation and design, it could be installed on a large glass, next to it or at a safe distance.
The principle of operation of the D. B. Driskilla was unusual, but simple enough. With the help of special avionics, the rocket or spaceplane had to enter the landing glide path and "aim" at the open end of the third, least large glass. At the same time, the telescopic system was in an extended position and had the greatest length. Immediately before contact with ground devices, the rocket had to use braking parachutes or landing thrusters to reduce its horizontal speed.
The exact calculation was supposed to bring the spaceplane exactly into the open part of the inner glass. Having received an impulse from the rocket, the glass could move inside a larger part. The friction of the pipes and the compression of the air partially dissipated the energy of the moving parts and slowed down the movement of the rocket. Then the middle glass had to move from its place and enter the large one, also redistributing energy. The remnants of the pulse could be extinguished or dissipated in different ways, depending on how the tubular device was mounted.
The construction of the complex and its placement in the hillside. Drawings from the patent
After landing and stopping the moving parts, passengers could leave the rocket, and then exit the landing complex through the doors at the ends of the glasses. Probably, then they could get into some kind of airport arrival hall.
Landing complex architecture options
The patent proposed several options for the architecture of the landing complex based on a telescopic system. In the first case, it was proposed to place glasses directly on the ground at the foot of a suitable hill. At the same time, a large glass was placed in a fortified artificial cave. There were also office and household premises. This architecture option meant that excess momentum, not absorbed by the telescopic structure and internal brakes, would be transferred to the ground.
The telescopic device could be equipped with floats and placed on a water channel of sufficient length. In this case, the rest of the energy was spent on moving the entire structure through the water: while the entire complex could slow down and lose energy. Similar options were also offered with a wheeled and ski chassis. In these cases, the complex had to move along a track with a springboard at the end. The hill was responsible for creating additional resistance to movement and also extinguished energy.
Later, a drawing appeared in the American press depicting another version of the installation of a telescopic complex. This time, at a slight slope, it was fixed on a long railway multi-carriage platform conveyor. The large glass was "attached" to the platform rigidly, and the other two were supported by supports with rollers. Inside the system of movable glasses, an additional damping system appeared, located on the longitudinal axis of the entire assembly.
The principle of operation remained the same, but the inclined placement of the telescopic system was supposed to change the distribution of forces on the structure and the ground. As in previous versions of the project, the rocket had to fly into the inner tube-glass, fold the system and decelerate, and the conveyor platform was responsible for the run and final stop.
Alas, not useful
The patent for the "Rocket Landing Apparatus" was issued in the early fifties. During the same period, popular science and entertainment publications have repeatedly written about the interesting invention of Dallas B. Driskill. The original idea became widely known and became a topic of discussion, primarily among the interested public. As for scientists and engineers, they did not show much interest in the invention.
The further development of rocket and space technology, as it turned out later, went well and continued without complex telescopic landing complexes. Over time, leading countries developed a number of reusable spacecraft for people and cargo, and none of these prototypes needed a complex landing system designed by D. B. Driskilla. With the current knowledge, it is not difficult to understand why the invention of the American enthusiast was never put into practice.
Other options for the location of the complex. Drawings from the patent
First of all, it is necessary to remember that the need for a special landing complex for the rocket never arose. The recoverable vehicles of space rockets bypassed parachute systems, and the reusable orbital aircraft that appeared later could land on ordinary runways.
The invention of D. B. Driskilla was distinguished by the complexity of the design, which could complicate both the development and construction, and the operation of workable complexes. To implement the original ideas, a complex selection of materials with the required parameters was required, after which it was necessary to develop a movable structure of sufficient rigidity and strength. In addition, it was necessary to calculate the interaction of parts, create the necessary brakes, etc. With all this, the complex was only compatible with missiles of a given size and speed.
For the construction of the complex, a large site was required, on which not the most simple objects should be placed. The proposed options for the location of the complex provided for complex earthworks or hydraulic engineering works.
A typical problem was to be faced during the operation of the landing complex. The rocket had to reach the end of the telescopic system with the highest possible accuracy. Even small deviations from the calculated trajectory or speed threatened an accident, including a crash with fatalities.
Finally, a telescopic system of a specific diameter for a specific energy could only be compatible with certain types of missiles. When creating new rockets or spaceplanes, designers would have to take into account the limitations of the landing complex - overall and energy. Or to develop not only a rocket, but also landing systems for it. Against the background of the expected progress and the desired pace, both of these options looked hopeless.
The invention of D. B. Driskilla had a lot of problems and shortcomings, but could not boast of positive features. In fact, it was about an original solution to a specific problem, and this problem and its solution had dubious prospects. As it became clear later, the development of astronautics and rocket technology continued well without the means of horizontal landing of rockets. In this regard, the curious development of the enthusiast remained in the form of a patent and several publications in the press.
