System and method for manufacturing a space-based component
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Systems Corporation
InventorHoward S. Eller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for manufacturing a space-based component in space. The method includes collecting and capturing space debris directly from and suspended in space, heating the collected space debris using solar radiation in a manner that separately and independently melts different constituent elements and compounds in the space debris, collecting the different constituent elements and compounds as they are being separately melted, storing the elements and compounds in a molten, solid or vapor form, and fabricating the space-based component using the stored elements and compounds.
Claims20
A method for manufacturing a space-based component, said method comprising:
- collecting and capturing space debris directly from and suspended in space;
- heating the collected space debris using solar radiation in a temperature controlled manner so that the amount of heat provided by the solar radiation selectively, separately and independently melts different constituent elements and compounds in the space debris that have different melting points;
- collecting the different constituent elements and compounds as they are being separately melted;
- storing the separately melted different constituent elements and compounds in a molten, solid or vapor form;
- and
- fabricating the space-based component using the stored and separately melted different constituent elements and compounds.
A system for manufacturing a space-based component, said system comprising:
- means for collecting and capturing space debris directly from and suspended in space;
- means for heating the collected space debris using solar radiation in a temperature controlled manner so that the amount of heat provided by the solar radiation selectively, separately and independently melts different constituent elements and compounds in the space debris that have different melting points;
- means for collecting the different constituent elements and compounds as they are being separately melted;
- means for storing the separately melted different constituent elements and compounds in a molten, solid or vapor form;
- and
- means for fabricating the space-based component using the stored and separately melted different constituent elements and compounds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.