Aeronautics and astronautics – Spacecraft – Spacecraft formation – orbit – or interplanetary path
Patent
1997-07-17
1999-09-14
Jordan, Charles T.
Aeronautics and astronautics
Spacecraft
Spacecraft formation, orbit, or interplanetary path
B64G 100
Patent
active
059509651
ABSTRACT:
A modular spacecraft and fabrication method for producing a spacecraft of the kind that forms an enclosure and framework for installation of the external and internal subsystems of the spacecraft. The primary structure of the spacecraft is formed as a split shell enclosure including composite formed upper and lower shell portions. The spacecraft, with the shells open, provides an extremely high degree of access during the assembly, installation and test of the spacecraft. A self-aligning tapered joint is formed at respective contacting lip surfaces of at least one set of common end walls of the upper and lower shell portions. Heat pipes are formed integral within the composite structure of selected walls of the shell portion to provide thermal regulation to the spacecraft and the subsystems contained therein. Removable battery modules are incorporated into the end wall structure of the upper shell portion. Also disclosed is an arrangement for distributing the subsystem electronics over the shell of the spacecraft in a manner that maximizes power, thermal and weight efficiencies. The distributed electronics arrangement includes a number of standardized plug-in interface cards which contain the various subsystem electronics and a common backplane for receiving the interface cards. The common backplane is mounted directly to the composite shell structure and is preferably located over one or more heat pipes for thermal dissipation.
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Bilger Kevin M.
Epstein Kenneth William
Glogowski Michael Joseph
Imes William Glen
Kapolnek Michael R.
Jordan Charles T.
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Zuniga Patricia L.
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