Tool for accessing satellite fill/drain valves during propellant resupply
AssigneeMacdonald, Dettwiler and Associates Inc.
InventorsPaul ROBERTS, Gavin HAY, Jason WHITE, Geoffrey SPRAWSON
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Herein is disclosed a tool, system and method for refueling on-orbit spacecraft. The tool and system are configured to allow for resupply of spacecraft configured to be propelled by either a bipropellant (oxidizer and fuel) or a monopropellant (typically hydrazine). The refueling tool is particularly suited for resupply of satellites not originally prepared for refueling but the system may also be used for satellites specifically designed for refueling.
Claims34
A tool mounted on a first satellite for opening a rotationally removable access component of a second satellite, the access component on the second satellite having rotatable and static features coaxially aligned along a first axis, comprising:
- a housing including
- a motor mounted in said housing, a gear shifter coupled to said motor,
- a wrench mechanism mounted in said housing including at least first and second adjustable wrench mechanisms coaxially aligned one on top of the other along a second axis;
- a differential gearbox mounted in said housing coupled to said first and second adjustable wrench mechanisms, the gearbox being configured to split the torque received by the gear shifter evenly between the first and second adjustable wrench mechanisms;
- and
- wherein, when the tool is positioned with the wrench mechanism down over the access component with the second axis coincident with the first axis, the first adjustable wrench mechanism engages the rotatable feature of the rotationally removable access component and the second adjustable wrench mechanism engages the static feature of the access component such that the wrench mechanism applies equal and opposite forces to the rotatable feature and the static feature to apply bi-directional torque to the rotatable feature while reacting the torque on the static feature.
A system mounted on a servicing spacecraft for transferring fluid between one or more selected fluid storage tanks on the servicing spacecraft and a client satellite, the client satellite including one or more fluid storage tanks and a fill/drain valve associated with each of the one or more fluid storage tanks, each fill/drain valve having rotatable features and static features, comprising:
- a) a positioning mechanism, an end effector mounted on the positioning mechanism, the end effector being coupled to the one or more selected fluid storage tanks;
- b) a tool including
- a housing,
- a fixture mounted on said housing configured to be grasped by said end effector,
- a fluid selection and coupling mechanism mounted in said housing and configured to be coupled to the end effector for coupling the one or more fluid storage tanks on the client satellite to the one or more selected fluid storage tanks mounted on the servicing spacecraft,
- a wrench mechanism located in said housing and configured for opening and closing each fill/drain valve on the one or more tanks and mating the fluid selection and coupling mechanism to the at least one fill/drain valve on the client satellite;
- an actuator mounted in said housing coupled to the fluid selection and coupling mechanism and the wrench mechanism;
- c) a sensor system for at least determining a relative displacement between said tool and each fill/drain valve on the one or more fluid storage tanks;
- and
- d) a control system in communication with said sensor, said positioning mechanism, said end effector and said actuator for controlling operation of said positioning mechanism, said end effector and said tool based on feedback from said sensor.
A method for remotely opening a rotationally removable access component mounted on a client satellite, the access component on the client satellite having rotatable and static features, comprising:
- activating a positioning mechanism mounted on a servicer satellite and releasibly coupling an end-effector on the positioning mechanism to a tool mounted on the servicer satellite;
- positioning the tool over the rotationally removable access component and aligning a wrench mechanism mounted in the tool over the rotationally removable access component until a rotational axis of the wrench mechanism is aligned with a rotational axis of the rotationally removable access component so that a first adjustable wrench mechanism section of the wrench mechanism is engaged with the rotatable feature of the rotationally removable access component and a second adjustable wrench mechanism section of the wrench mechanism is engaged with the static feature of the rotationally removable access component;
- and
- activating the wrench mechanism for applying equal and opposite forces to the rotatable feature and the static feature to apply bi-directional torque to the rotatable feature while reacting the torque on the static feature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.