Spacecraft payload exchange system

Details Spacecraft payload exchange system Spacecraft payload exchange system

1992-11-16

1995-07-04

Grant, William

Aeronautics and astronautics

Spacecraft

Reusable or returnable

244161, B64G 164

Patent

active

054293286

ABSTRACT:
A method of manufacturing in space and a spacecraft assembly to accomplish such manufacture. The spacecraft assembly includes a spacecraft including a plurality of canister compartments circumferentially spaced about the central axis of the spacecraft and opening in a docking face of the spacecraft, a plurality of canisters respectively positioned in the compartments, and a passive docking mechanism proximate the docking face and proximate the central axis, and a service vehicle comprising a plurality of canister compartments spaced circumferentially about the central axis of the service vehicle, a plurality of canisters respectively positioned in the compartments, and a manipulator assembly including an active docking structure, including a boom extending forwardly from the docking face, and a canister handling assembly mounted on the boom. In one embodiment, the spacecraft remains permanently in orbit, a manufacturing process is performed on the spacecraft to produce an end product which is housed in the canisters, and the service vehicle periodically visits the orbiting spacecraft to perform a canister exchange with the spacecraft, utilizing the canister exchange with the spacecraft, utilizing the canister handling assembly, and replenishing the spacecraft supplies.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4079904 (1978-03-01), Groskopfs et al.
patent: 4273305 (1981-06-01), Hinds
patent: 4298178 (1981-11-01), Hujsak
patent: 4349837 (1982-09-01), Hinds
patent: 4898348 (1990-02-01), Kahn
patent: 4903919 (1990-02-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 4964596 (1990-11-01), Ganssle et al.
F. C. Runge, Space Tug/Spacecraft/Module Exchanger, 1977, vol. 12, No. 5, pp. 451-462.

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