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US 11,142,347 B1Granted
System and method for the assembly of large distributed structures in space
AssigneeAST&Defense, LLC
InventorRaymond J. Sedwick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system includes a satellite assembly. The assembly includes a plurality of satellite devices, where each satellite device includes a processor device, an impulse actuator, and a memory storing instructions. The instructions are executable by the processor device to access a sequence of waypoints. The sequence of waypoints identifies a first waypoint and is associated with formation of a distributed structure including the plurality of satellite devices. The instructions are further executable by the processor device to initiate movement of the satellite device toward the first waypoint at least by initiating activation of the impulse actuator.
Claims24
A system comprising:
- a satellite assembly having a plurality of satellite devices, each satellite device of the plurality of satellite devices including:
- a processor device;
- an impulse actuator;
- an optical wireless interface to communicate with other satellite devices of the plurality of satellite devices;
- and
- a memory storing instructions executable by the processor device to move said plurality of satellite devices from a stored configuration to a deployed configuration by:
- accessing an entire sequence of waypoints, the entire sequence of waypoints comprising a stored waypoint corresponding to the stored configuration, to one or more intermediate waypoints, and to a target waypoint corresponding to the deployed configuration,
- wherein the entire sequence of waypoints is associated with formation of a distributed structure in the deployed configuration comprising the plurality of satellite devices, wherein in the deployed configuration, the target waypoints of at least two satellite devices of the plurality of satellite devices correspond to the respective optical wireless interfaces of the at least two satellite devices of the plurality of satellite devices being aligned with one another, thereby establishing an optical wireless network between the at least two satellite devices of the plurality of satellite devices,
- wherein in the storage configuration, the plurality of satellite devices are in a stacked relationship with respect to one another to form an initial stack of the plurality of satellite devices, and in the deployed configuration, the plurality of satellite devices form the distributed structure, and wherein the entire sequence of waypoints each comprise a specific location;
- and
- initiating movement of the respective satellite device from the stored waypoint toward the target waypoint by taking each topmost satellite device from the initial stack of the plurality of satellite devices sequentially from a top of the initial stack to a next available final location in a horizonal plane of the deployed configuration starting at an arbitrary location in a horizontal plane and working outward at least by initiating activation of the impulse actuator;
- wherein the entire sequence of waypoints are arranged such that the respective satellite device remains within a threshold distance of other satellite devices in the plurality of satellite devices while moving between each of the entire sequence of waypoints.
9 more elements
A method comprising:
- accessing an entire sequence of waypoints at a satellite device, the entire sequence of waypoints including one or more intermediate waypoints and a target waypoint, wherein the entire sequence of waypoints is associated with formation of a distributed structure comprising the satellite device and a plurality of other satellite devices in a deployed configuration, wherein the entire sequence of waypoints are arranged such that the satellite device remains within a threshold distance of other satellite devices in the plurality of satellite devices while moving between each of the waypoints;
- and
- initiating movement of the satellite device from a stored configuration in an initial stack of the plurality of satellite devices toward the target waypoint successively via each of the intermediate waypoints by activating an impulse actuator of the satellite device, wherein a path of each satellite device in the initial stack is generated by
- (a) moving the respective satellite device up and off the top of the initial stack,
- (b) moving the respective satellite device horizontally in the direction of a final location of the respective satellite device until at a fixed distance away from the initial stack,
- (c) moving the respective satellite device down until within a fixed distance of a horizontal plane of the final location,
- (d) moving the respective satellite device horizontally in the direction of the final location until at fixed distance beyond the final location,
- (e) moving the respective satellite device down until at a vertical position of the respective satellite device is the same as that of the horizontal plane of the final location, and
- (f) moving the respective satellite device horizontally toward the final location of the respective satellite device,
- wherein in the deployed configuration, the plurality of satellite devices form the distributed structure, and wherein the entire sequence of waypoints each comprise a specific location, and
- wherein in the deployed configuration, the target waypoints of the satellite device and at least one of the other plurality of satellite devices correspond to respective optical wireless interfaces of the satellite device and the at least one of the other plurality of satellite devices being aligned with one another, thereby establishing an optical wireless network between the satellite devices.
8 more elements
A satellite system comprising:
- a satellite assembly having a plurality of satellite devices, each satellite device of the plurality of satellite devices including:
- a processing device accessing an entire sequence of waypoints including one or more intermediate waypoints and a target waypoint, wherein the entire sequence of waypoints is associated with formation of a distributed structure comprising the plurality of satellite devices in a deployed configuration, wherein the entire sequence of waypoints are arranged such that the respective satellite device remains within a threshold distance of the other satellite devices in the plurality of satellite devices while moving between each of the waypoints;
- an impulse actuator comprising a plurality of electric coils, the plurality of electric coils of each satellite device being arranged at right angles to one another, wherein activating the impulse actuator includes applying current to the plurality of electric coils of each satellite device resulting in orthogonal magnetic fields in association with each satellite device;
- and
- said processing device initiating movement of the satellite device from a stored configuration toward the target waypoint by taking each topmost satellite device from an initial stack of the plurality of satellite devices sequentially from a top of the initial stack to a next available final location of the deployed configuration starting at an arbitrary location in a horizontal plane and working outward by activating said impulse actuator of the satellite device,
- wherein in the deployed configuration, the plurality of satellite devices form the distributed structure, and wherein the entire sequence of waypoints each comprise a specific location.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.