An attitude control module is described for providing propellant-free attitude control and momentum desaturation to a spacecraft. The attitude control module includes at least one solar sail comprising a reflective surface for reflecting solar photons; and at least one robotic arm coupled to the at least one solar sail, said at least one robotic arm comprising at least 4 degrees of freedom for positioning and orienting the at least one solar sail relative to the spacecraft. A corresponding method for operating the attitude control module to unload excess momentum from a spacecraft is also described.

The system extracts water from lunar regolith and includes a regolith intake having a digging bucket that collects lunar regolith soil and a gravel separator that separates and discharges gravel and passes a mixture of ice-regolith powder having ice grains that are about 10-100 microns along the conveyor. A pneumatic separator receives the ice-regolith powder and pneumatically splits the ice-regolith powder into streams of different sized lithic fragments and ice particles per the ratio of inertial force and aerodynamic drag force of the lithic fragments and ice particles. Each split stream may include a magnetic separator that separates further the magnetic and paramagnetic lithic fragments from ice particles to discharge up to 80 percent of lithic fragments to slag.

The system extracts water from lunar regolith and includes a regolith intake having a digging bucket that collects lunar regolith soil and a gravel separator that separates and discharges gravel and passes a mixture of ice-regolith powder having ice grains that are about 10-100 microns along the conveyor. A pneumatic separator receives the ice-regolith powder and pneumatically splits the ice-regolith powder into streams of different sized lithic fragments and ice particles per the ratio of inertial force and aerodynamic drag force of the lithic fragments and ice particles. Each split stream may include a magnetic separator that separates further the magnetic and paramagnetic lithic fragments from ice particles to discharge up to 80 percent of lithic fragments to slag.

A space-based circuit-replacing robotic system and method include a satellite grasper configured to grasp the satellite having a printed circuit onto which an integrated circuit is soldered and the integrated circuit is to be replaced; an access mechanism configured to remove the printed circuit and/or to provide access to the printed circuit; a printed circuit orientation device configured to orient a printed circuit such that sunlight is incident on the printed circuit; one or more temperature sensors configured to measure a temperature of the solder on the printed circuit; a processor configured to adjust a rate of heating to match a desired heating rate; a circuit grasping device configured to position the circuit for replacement; and an optical shield that is configured to be adjusted to allow light to pass substantially only to a desired area of the printed circuit.

A space-based circuit-replacing robotic system and method include a satellite grasper configured to grasp the satellite having a printed circuit onto which an integrated circuit is soldered and the integrated circuit is to be replaced; an access mechanism configured to remove the printed circuit and/or to provide access to the printed circuit; a printed circuit orientation device configured to orient a printed circuit such that sunlight is incident on the printed circuit; one or more temperature sensors configured to measure a temperature of the solder on the printed circuit; a processor configured to adjust a rate of heating to match a desired heating rate; a circuit grasping device configured to position the circuit for replacement; and an optical shield that is configured to be adjusted to allow light to pass substantially only to a desired area of the printed circuit.

A method and system for vacuum vapor deposition of a deposition material to form functional materials, including a coating, a thin film material, or a thick film material, upon a substrate in space utilizes: a substrate support structure associated with a space platform; a depositor for the deposition material; and a moveable elongate arm associated with a space platform that provides relative movement between the substrate and the depositor.

A method and system for vacuum vapor deposition of a deposition material to form functional materials, including a coating, a thin film material, or a thick film material, upon a substrate in space utilizes: a substrate support structure associated with a space platform; a depositor for the deposition material; and a moveable elongate arm associated with a space platform that provides relative movement between the substrate and the depositor.

A laser sample chamber for deep space exploration includes a sample chamber base and a sample chamber top cover. The sample chamber base is a hollow cylinder with bottom end being sealed and top end being open, and an internal cavity in the hollow cylinder is provided for receiving sample plates; and a body of the sample chamber top cover is a hollow cylinder with a top end being sealed and a bottom end being open, and the body consists of a plurality of components which comprise a hollow annulus positioned at a middle of the sample chamber top cover, a circular viewing window positioned at an opening at a top end of the hollow annulus, and a threaded port positioned at an opening at a bottom end of the hollow annulus and protruding outward.

A laser sample chamber for deep space exploration includes a sample chamber base and a sample chamber top cover. The sample chamber base is a hollow cylinder with bottom end being sealed and top end being open, and an internal cavity in the hollow cylinder is provided for receiving sample plates; and a body of the sample chamber top cover is a hollow cylinder with a top end being sealed and a bottom end being open, and the body consists of a plurality of components which comprise a hollow annulus positioned at a middle of the sample chamber top cover, a circular viewing window positioned at an opening at a top end of the hollow annulus, and a threaded port positioned at an opening at a bottom end of the hollow annulus and protruding outward.

A strut-and-node truss design that is applicable to space frame structure designs can be assembled with using robotic (semi-autonomous and/or fully autonomous) or telerobotic assembly/joining. The assembly system can include a storage module that includes the components for assembly and an assembly module that can retrieve and assembly the components. The resulting truss structure can be connected to an antenna (e.g., carried by the storage module) for deployment. The assembly module can be operated repeatedly in conjunction with additional resupply systems that provide additional components for assembly.