Method and device for capture of tumbling space objects
AssigneeAstroscale Holdings Inc.
InventorMichael Lindsay
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method comprising: propelling a servicing spacecraft to an object; deploying one or more counter mass(es) away from a servicing spacecraft bus to offset the center of mass of the servicing spacecraft into an empty volume; approaching the object, by the servicing spacecraft; positioning the center of mass of the servicing spacecraft in approximately the same location as the center of mass of the object; imparting angular momentum to the servicing spacecraft to match the tumble rate of the object; and contacting the object with one or more mechanical attachments to the servicing spacecraft.
Claims9
A method comprising:
- propelling a servicing spacecraft to an object;
- deploying one or more counter masses away from a bus of the servicing spacecraft to offset a center of mass of the servicing spacecraft into an empty volume;
- approaching the object, by the servicing spacecraft;
- positioning the center of mass of the servicing spacecraft in approximately the same location as the center of mass of the object;
- imparting angular momentum to the servicing spacecraft to match the tumble rate of the object;
- and
- mechanically connecting the object, by an appendage, to the servicing spacecraft.
A spacecraft comprising:
- a bus;
- one or more counter masses;
- and
- a truss structure connecting the bus and the one or more counter masses;
- wherein the truss is configured to deploy the counter masses away from the bus to offset the center of mass of the spacecraft into an empty volume at least partially defined by the truss, the empty volume having a circular cross-section having a diameter greater than that of a space object;
- and
- wherein no portion of the spacecraft extends into the empty volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.