On-orbit assembly of communication satellites
AssigneeSpace Systems/Loral, Inc.
InventorsRobert Edward Helmer, John Douglas Lymer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A spacecraft including a main body structure and at least a first deployable element is reconfigured from a launch configuration to an on-orbit configuration. In the launch configuration, the first deployable element is mechanically attached with the spacecraft main body structure by way of a first arrangement. In the on-orbit configuration, the first deployable element is mechanically attached with the spacecraft main body structure by way of a second arrangement. Reconfiguring the spacecraft includes detaching the first deployable element from the first arrangement, moving the first deployable element with respect to the spacecraft main body structure; and attaching the first deployable element to the second arrangement.
Claims10
A spacecraft, comprising:
- a main body structure;
- and
- at least a first deployable element,
- the spacecraft being reconfigurable from a launch configuration to an on-orbit configuration, wherein:
- in the launch configuration, the first deployable element is mechanically attached with the spacecraft main body structure by way of a first arrangement;
- in the on-orbit configuration, the first deployable element is mechanically attached with the spacecraft main body structure by way of a second arrangement;
- and
- in a transition configuration, intermediate to the launch configuration and the on-orbit configuration, both the first arrangement and the second arrangement are detached from the first deployable element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.