A thermal management system includes a sublimator that has a porous plate, a water feed line connected with the sublimator for delivering feed water to the porous plate, and an adsorbent bed in the water feed line. The sublimator is operable to freeze and sublime the feed water using the porous plate. The adsorbent bed is configured to substantially remove organic compounds from the feed water.

A service satellite for providing station keeping services to a host satellite has a body, and a gripping mechanism attached to the body. The gripping mechanism is adapted to attach to an interface ring extending from an external surface of the host satellite to form an interconnection between the host satellite and the service satellite through the externally extending interface ring. Attaching the gripping mechanism to the interface ring forms an interconnected unit having a combined center of mass. The service satellite has at least two movable thrusters and at least one controller. The at least one controller maintains the interconnected unit in a substantially stationary orbit by selectively orienting the two thrusters such that the thrust vectors from the two thrusters do not pass through the combined center of mass, and are each offset from the combined center of mass.

A service satellite for providing station keeping services to a host satellite has a body, and a gripping mechanism attached to the body. The gripping mechanism is adapted to attach to an interface ring extending from an external surface of the host satellite to form an interconnection between the host satellite and the service satellite through the externally extending interface ring. Attaching the gripping mechanism to the interface ring forms an interconnected unit having a combined center of mass. The service satellite has at least two movable thrusters and at least one controller. The at least one controller maintains the interconnected unit in a substantially stationary orbit by selectively orienting the two thrusters such that the thrust vectors from the two thrusters do not pass through the combined center of mass, and are each offset from the combined center of mass.

The present invention relates to a service satellite having a body, a controller and a docking unit. The docking unit includes at least two foldable, adjustable gripping arms pivotally mounted on the satellite body, each gripping arm being pivotable relative to the satellite body, and a gripping end at each free end of the gripping arms, wherein the gripping ends are adapted and configured to capture and grip a target portion of an orbiting satellite. Each gripping arm is controllable independently by the controller, which coordinates the motion of the arms. The service satellite also includes a propulsion unit including a first thruster mounted adjacent a Nadir end of the service satellite body, and a balance thruster, the balance thruster being distanced from the first thruster and facing a different direction than the first thruster, propellant for the thruster and the balance thruster; and means for aligning the thrusters so that a thrusting vector passes through a joint center of gravity of the service satellite and the serviced satellite.

The present invention relates to a service satellite having a body, a controller and a docking unit. The docking unit includes at least two foldable, adjustable gripping arms pivotally mounted on the satellite body, each gripping arm being pivotable relative to the satellite body, and a gripping end at each free end of the gripping arms, wherein the gripping ends are adapted and configured to capture and grip a target portion of an orbiting satellite. Each gripping arm is controllable independently by the controller, which coordinates the motion of the arms. The service satellite also includes a propulsion unit including a first thruster mounted adjacent a Nadir end of the service satellite body, and a balance thruster, the balance thruster being distanced from the first thruster and facing a different direction than the first thruster, propellant for the thruster and the balance thruster; and means for aligning the thrusters so that a thrusting vector passes through a joint center of gravity of the service satellite and the serviced satellite.

A reusable modular spacecraft has a spacecraft bus structure configured to support spacecraft subsystems, at least one interchangeable housing component configured to be interchangeably received and supported by the bus structure, and a wireless system configured to permit wireless communication between the at least one interchangeable housing component and spacecraft subsystems supported by the bus structure. In embodiments of the spacecraft, the wireless system includes a wireless hub and a wireless coordinator for wireless transmission of data between the at least one interchangeable housing component and the spacecraft subsystems. An electrical/power transfer interface unit is provided to the at least one interchangeable housing component for transferring electricity, power, data and/or providing thermal management and control.

A reusable modular spacecraft has a spacecraft bus structure configured to support spacecraft subsystems, at least one interchangeable housing component configured to be interchangeably received and supported by the bus structure, and a wireless system configured to permit wireless communication between the at least one interchangeable housing component and spacecraft subsystems supported by the bus structure. In embodiments of the spacecraft, the wireless system includes a wireless hub and a wireless coordinator for wireless transmission of data between the at least one interchangeable housing component and the spacecraft subsystems. An electrical/power transfer interface unit is provided to the at least one interchangeable housing component for transferring electricity, power, data and/or providing thermal management and control.

According to some embodiments of the invention, a tensegrity robot includes a plurality of compressive members, and a plurality of tensile members connected to the compressive members to form a spatially defined structure without the compressive members forming direct load-transmitting connections with each other. Each compressive member has an axial extension with a first axial end and a second axial end and a central axial region. The tensegrity robot also includes a plurality of actuators, each attached to one of the compressive members within a corresponding central axial region thereof. The tensegrity robot also includes a plurality of controllers, each attached to one of the compressive members. Each actuator is operatively connected to a corresponding tensile member so as to selectively change a tension on the tensile member in response to commands from a controllers to thereby change a center of mass of the tensegrity robot to effect movement thereof.

A tether for joining objects in space by centripetal force has a modular architecture. The modular architecture facilitates the deployment of the tether by facilitating its transport into space as unassembled modular components and its assembly in situ, after the components have been transported. The modular architecture also facilitates it repair, modification, and disassembly in situ. More particularly, the modular tether has design features that enable its assembly, repair, modification, and/or disassembly in situ while the modular tether remains under tension, i.e., while the modular tether continues to perform its function of joining two or more objects by the application of centripetal force. The modular architecture also enables new tether modalities, e.g., a tensile strength modality, a winch modality, a tension monitoring modality, a repair state modality, a situational awareness modality, and a temperature control modality.

Techniques for deploying a plurality of smallsats from a common launch vehicle are disclosed where a structural arrangement provides a load path between an upper stage of the launch and the plurality of spacecraft. Each spacecraft is mechanically coupled with the launch vehicle upper stage only by the structural arrangement. The structural arrangement includes at least one trunk member that is approximately aligned with the longitudinal axis of the launch vehicle upper stage, a plurality of branch members, each branch member being attached to the trunk member and having at least a first end portion that is substantially outboard from the longitudinal axis; and a plurality of mechanical linkages, each linkage coupled at a first end with a first respective spacecraft and coupled at a second end with one of the plurality of branch members, the trunk member or a second respective spacecraft.