An interface assembly for connecting an on-board propulsion system to a testing facility includes a support member configured for coupling to a manipulation system and a mounting member configured for coupling to the on-board propulsion system. A plurality of channels extends between and couples the mounting member to the support member.

Exemplary embodiments described herein include innovative engagement devices. Exemplary engagement devices may include on or more tape spring systems. The tape spring system may include a continuous or segmented bi-stable tape spring. The tape spring can be stowed in a rolled up configuration, extended to a deployed configuration, and then triggered to return to a retracted configuration.

Vehicles systems, assemblies and methods for payload testing are described. A vehicle assembly, for example a suborbital vehicle assembly, has a housing for accommodating a test payload therein, and a payload exposure system coupled to the housing, operable to: open an aperture in the housing to allow exposure of a housed test payload to an in-flight environment; and close the aperture. The payload exposure system may have an actuator, which may have a drive system, for opening and closing the aperture. The actuator may be a linear actuator, whose operative action may be in an axial direction of the vehicle assembly.

Vehicles systems, assemblies and methods for payload testing are described. A vehicle assembly, for example a suborbital vehicle assembly, has a housing for accommodating a test payload therein, and a payload exposure system coupled to the housing, operable to: open an aperture in the housing to allow exposure of a housed test payload to an in-flight environment; and close the aperture. The payload exposure system may have an actuator, which may have a drive system, for opening and closing the aperture. The actuator may be a linear actuator, whose operative action may be in an axial direction of the vehicle assembly.

A docking simulator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is a docking simulator capable of mimicking docking between two flight vehicles in a zero gravity environment, the docking simulator including: a passive module which is disposed at a preset position; and an active module which performs docking with the passive module by approaching the passive module while performing a translational motion. According to the present disclosure, the docking simulator capable of performing, on the ground, a logic verification test for rendezvous docking between the two flight vehicles in the space in the zero gravity environment is implemented, and as a result, it is possible to perform more various logic verification tests for rendezvous docking by mimicking the rendezvous docking by using actual objects.

A docking simulator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is a docking simulator capable of mimicking docking between two flight vehicles in a zero gravity environment, the docking simulator including: a passive module which is disposed at a preset position; and an active module which performs docking with the passive module by approaching the passive module while performing a translational motion. According to the present disclosure, the docking simulator capable of performing, on the ground, a logic verification test for rendezvous docking between the two flight vehicles in the space in the zero gravity environment is implemented, and as a result, it is possible to perform more various logic verification tests for rendezvous docking by mimicking the rendezvous docking by using actual objects.

A method of simulating 3-degrees of freedom spacecraft rotational dynamics is provided that includes attaching a payload, using a spherical air bearing, to an inner gimbal of a 3-axis gimbal, where the 3-axis gimbal includes an outer gimbal, a mid-gimbal and the inner gimbal, using a motion controller to control motion of each the gimbal of the 3-axis gimbal, where the motion controller includes an appropriately programmed computer and a motion control motor, sensing limits of free travel of the spherical air bearing, using a position sensor, and changing a position of the 3-axis gimbal away from the limit of free travel of the spherical air bearing when the spherical air bearing approaches the limit of free travel, wherein the position change effects travel of the spherical bearing to be unbounded by the limit of free travel, wherein 4 steradians spacecraft dynamics of the payload are simulated.

A method of simulating 3-degrees of freedom spacecraft rotational dynamics is provided that includes attaching a payload, using a spherical air bearing, to an inner gimbal of a 3-axis gimbal, where the 3-axis gimbal includes an outer gimbal, a mid-gimbal and the inner gimbal, using a motion controller to control motion of each the gimbal of the 3-axis gimbal, where the motion controller includes an appropriately programmed computer and a motion control motor, sensing limits of free travel of the spherical air bearing, using a position sensor, and changing a position of the 3-axis gimbal away from the limit of free travel of the spherical air bearing when the spherical air bearing approaches the limit of free travel, wherein the position change effects travel of the spherical bearing to be unbounded by the limit of free travel, wherein 4 steradians spacecraft dynamics of the payload are simulated.

Methods and systems for space situational awareness (SSA) demonstration are provided. The system includes a space data collector component, for collecting space initialization data of space objects from initialized space sources and pre-processing the space initialization data; a data relocation component, for distributing the space initialization data pushed from the space data collector component into multiple streaming channels for streaming; a streaming platform, for streaming, mapping, and reducing the space initialization data from the data relocation component to provide streamed data; a real-time analysis component, for calculating the streamed data to conduct a real-time detecting and tracking analysis of the space objects by implementing algorithms for one or more of space uncertainty propagation, space object tracking, sensor management, and collision avoidance; and a space visualization component, for displaying a visualization of space situational awareness (SSA) based on analyzed results from the real-time analysis component.

Methods and systems for space situational awareness (SSA) demonstration are provided. The system includes a space data collector component, for collecting space initialization data of space objects from initialized space sources and pre-processing the space initialization data; a data relocation component, for distributing the space initialization data pushed from the space data collector component into multiple streaming channels for streaming; a streaming platform, for streaming, mapping, and reducing the space initialization data from the data relocation component to provide streamed data; a real-time analysis component, for calculating the streamed data to conduct a real-time detecting and tracking analysis of the space objects by implementing algorithms for one or more of space uncertainty propagation, space object tracking, sensor management, and collision avoidance; and a space visualization component, for displaying a visualization of space situational awareness (SSA) based on analyzed results from the real-time analysis component.