Satellite retrieval system
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsEdwin C. Pruett, Kem B. Robertson, Tomas E. Loughead
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A satellite retrieval system (10) wherein first and second pairs of coacting parallel bars (40), and (94) are separately mounted in spaced parallel planes on the front of a spacecraft (14). The bars of one pair are at right angles to bars of the other pair, and together the two pairs of bars effect a variable aperture adapted to close around a rod (26) extending from a second spacecraft (22) to thereby effect the capture of the latter.
Claims5
A satellite retrieval system for employment with a spacecraft comprising:
- a cubical first frame adapted to be fixedly attached to a spacecraft;
- a rectangular second frame positioned around said cubical first frame and including support means for movably supporting said second frame on said cubical first frame;
- a first pair of parallel bars movably mounted on said cubical first frame for balanced relative movement with respect to a center line through said cubical first frame and normal to a plane of said second frame, being movable across said first frame;
- a second pair of parallel bars, orthogonal to said first pair of parallel bars, movably mounted on said second frame for balanced relative movement with respect to said center line, and positioned within said cubical first frame;
- first operating means for selectively moving bars of said first pair of parallel bars toward and away from each other;
- second operating means for selectively moving bars of said second pair of parallel bars toward and away from each other;
- and
- retracting means including drive means coupled between said cubical first frame and said second frame for selectively moving said second frame along said center line and between extended and retracted positions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.