Means for rapidly assembling a spacecraft

Abstract

A structure for rapid assembly of a self-contained apparatus, such as a spacecraft or satellite, has horizontal and vertical manifolds joined at corners to form a rigid self-contained frame, side panels attached by fasteners inserted into the vertical and horizontal manifolds, and top and bottom panels attached by fasteners inserted into the horizontal manifolds. Cutout sections are provided on opposite ends of each manifold to enable electrical and/or fluid lines to extend across the corners formed by the manifolds. The vertical manifolds can have a 90-degree angle for a square or rectangular shaped spacecraft, while a 120-degree angle creates a hexagonal shaped spacecraft. A hinged vertical manifold may be used for two different angular configurations. An alternate embodiment employs quick-insertion-nut (QIN) assemblies embedded into the edges of the side panels to which the top and bottom panels are directly fastened to eliminate the use of manifolds.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.