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AssigneeMichigan Aerospace Corporation
InventorsPete Tchoryk, Jane Pavlich, Greg Wassick, Anthony B. Hays, Gregg Ritter
Estimating the term…
This invention solves problems associated with prior-art soft-dock mechanisms by placing all active components of a soft-dock system on the chaser side of the mechanism, leaving the target side of the mechanism completely passive (i.e., requiring no power expenditure or self-actuated moving parts to operate). In particular, the active components are supported on the end of a flexible cable attached to the probe, or chaser, side of the device. These components act as a sort of spring-loaded “trap.” Once the end of the probe passes into a receptacle on the target side, the mechanism is triggered, engaging it in such a way that it can no longer be pulled out of the receptacle until it is reset. The soft-docking cable may be replaced with a rigid, semi-rigid or jointed post that is used to bring a capture mechanism into engagement with its corresponding receptacle or receiving structure. The magnetic end effector may also be implemented as an electro-magnet, which requires power to maintain the holding force, or a permanent magnet, which captures a target without power. The metallic main target cone may be use a non-metallic cone constructed of fabric, plastic, or other flexible material.
A system for docking a chase space vehicle to a target space vehicle having a receptacle, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
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Characterised by the means for engaging other vehicles: docking probes and receivers
Cosmonautics
Term end not estimated
This invention relates generally to spacecraft docking and, in particular, to a system of the type wherein all active components are disposed on a chase vehicle.
There is interest in commercial uses of outer space, particularly earth orbit. This environment offers unique characteristics, such as zero gravity and unlimited vacuum, which may be useful to certain manufacturing processes. A major problem is the costs in launch and recovery of payloads.
One possible solution involves the use of a semi-permanent orbiting vehicle that is periodically serviced for refueling, resupply, and payload exchange. The most economical approach to such operations involves unmanned, unsupervised, autonomous rendezvous and docking vehicles. This requires capture and docking mechanisms which are simple and reliable, even in the presence of some misalignment. It would also be advantageous for the mechanism aboard the normally orbiting craft to be largely passive, thereby preserving power resources for other, perhaps more critical uses.
FIG. 1 illustrates the Harpoon Capture Mechanism (Armed);
FIG. 2 illustrates the Harpoon Capture Mechanism Actuation Sequence;
FIG. 3 illustrates the Harpoon Capture Mechanism (Deployed);
The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the Figures, using the following definitions:
Chaser—The half of a docking mechanism that is attached to the satellite that is performing the servicing operation, or chase vehicle;
Target—The half of a docking mechanism that is attached to the satellite that is being serviced, or target vehicle;