Spacecraft propellant loading system

A method of filling a plurality of satellite propellant tanks in parallel comprising:

• providing a plurality of satellites;
• connecting a pressure regulator between a propellant source supplying propellant at a first pressure and a manifold containing the propellant at a second pressure, the pressure regulator reducing pressure from the first pressure at the propellant source to the second pressure at the manifold;
• connecting a plurality of gas lines from the manifold to a plurality of fill valves of satellite propellant tanks, each satellite propellant tank connected to one or more thrusters of a corresponding satellite of the plurality of satellites, by coupling connectors at ends of the plurality of gas lines with the plurality of fill valves;
• subsequently, flowing propellant from the propellant source, through the manifold, into the plurality of satellite propellant tanks in parallel;
• and
• subsequently flowing the propellant from each satellite propellant tank to power thrusters of the corresponding satellite.

An apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of satellites;
• an inlet connected to a propellant source;
• a pressure regulator having an upstream side connected to the inlet and a downstream side, the pressure regulator configured to reduce propellant pressure from a first pressure at the inlet to a second pressure;
• a manifold connected to the downstream side of the pressure regulator such that propellant from the pressure regulator fills the manifold at the second pressure, the manifold including a plurality of manifold outlets;
• a plurality of gas lines, each gas line extending from a corresponding manifold outlet, each gas line terminating at a corresponding connector that is connected to a fill valve of a satellite propellant tank located in a corresponding satellite of the plurality of satellites;
• a plurality of pressure transducers, each pressure transducer attached to a respective gas line of the plurality of gas lines to measure pressure of a corresponding satellite propellant tank;
• a plurality of valves, each valve attached to a respective gas line of the plurality of gas lines to control flow in the respective gas line;
• and
• a control circuit connected to the plurality of pressure transducers and the plurality of valves to turn off a valve connected to a gas line in response to a pressure measurement from the pressure transducer attached to the gas line exceeding a threshold pressure.