A service satellite having a body, a controller and a docking unit including a telescopic arm, mounted on a 6-DOF parallel manipulator, and two additional gripping arms. The telescopic arm, deployed from the 6-DOF manipulator, is equipped with a pair of rapid closure digits. The telescopic arm facilitates capturing the launch adaptor ring of a client spacecraft, even during tumbling. The 6-DOF parallel manipulator has force sensors and can accommodate post capturing relative motion through active compliance control and controlled de-tumbling, for avoiding generation of high forces in the telescopic arm. After relative rate annihilation, the telescopic arm retracts and the client ring is secured to the 6-DOF manipulator with the help of a pair of clamps. After the ring is secured, two additional gripping arms secure a rigid connection with the launcher ring so that the docking connection comprises three equally spaced connections.

Satellite systems and methods to perform rendezvous and docking between a servicer satellite and an on-orbit satellite, and specifically to satellite systems and methods to perform rendezvous and docking between a servicer satellite and an on-orbit client satellite using electric propulsion thrusters. In one aspect, a servicer satellite with a set of thruster arms each attached to an electric propulsion thruster performs acceleration, deceleration, and steering maneuvers through six degree of freedom positioning of the thrusters, the same set of thruster arms and thrusters performing station keeping of the docked servicer-client satellite system.

The present disclosure relates to a robotically controlled satellite refueling tool and associated robotically controlled support and site preparation tools which facilitates on-orbit refueling by teleoperation of fill/drain valves of various designs and dimensions on satellites not originally prepared for on-orbit servicing, through the installation of quick connect safety valves, using vision-based feedback as well as feedback from sensors embedded in the refueling tool to operate a suite of adaptable and adjustable mechanisms. The refueling tool has an open architecture to allow a refueling tool vision system to see the fill/drain valve and the section of the refueling tool that is engaged with the fill/drain valve. The support tools include a blanket cutter tool, a blanket handler tool, a wire cutter tool, a gripper tool, and the site preparation tools include a B-nut removal tool and a crush seal removal tool. Each of these tools includes a common base structure which is interfaced to the end effector of the robotic arm for transmitting rotation and torque to the various tools.

An enclosed volume is provided for performing operations in space, or on any astronomical object, in a manner separated from aspects of the external environment. The enclosed volume can be a flexible container for a satellite. The enclosed volume can include a membrane having a fluid barrier layer and being configured to contain a propellant gas or fluid; and an expulsion device configured to expel material from the membrane. In a stowed configuration, the flexible container is contained within the satellite, and in a deployed configuration, the flexible container extends away from the satellite. The flexible container can inflate from one shape, in the undeployed configuration, to another shape, in a deployed configuration. The other shape can be toroidal or other appropriate shapes. The flexible container can provide bipropellant, blowdown, and gas/fluid metering functionality. Entertainment and game play can be enabled by the enclosed volume involving robots and other devices.

Satellite systems and methods to perform rendezvous and docking between a servicer satellite and an on-orbit satellite, and specifically to satellite systems and methods to perform rendezvous and docking between a servicer satellite and an on-orbit client satellite using electric propulsion thrusters. In one aspect, a servicer satellite with a set of thruster arms each attached to an electric propulsion thruster performs acceleration, deceleration, and steering maneuvers through six degree of freedom positioning of the thrusters, the same set of thruster arms and thrusters performing station keeping of the docked servicer-client satellite system.

A robotic gripper for rigidly grasping a section of a Marman ring of a satellite, the robotic gripper having an outboard jaw which interfaces to an outer diameter side of the Marman ring, a inboard jaw which interfaces to an inner diameter side of the Marman ring, and a palm which interfaces to a separation surface of the Marman ring. The jaws, when grasping the section of the Marman ring, execute a two-stage motion comprising a first movement toward the opposing jaw in a direction parallel to the palm, and a second movement of drawing the Marman ring down against the palm or other suitable surface in order to fully rigidize the grasp.

The objective is to increase the success rate of missions at a low cost for a capturing system which captures a target object in space. A capturing system that captures a target object in space has: a plate-like body that is attached to the target object and attracted with magnetic force; and an aerospace vehicle that has a magnetic force generating portion which generates the magnetic force attracting the plate-like body. The aerospace vehicle has a magnetic force generating portion that generates a magnetic force and enables capture of the target object by attracting the plate-like body, which is attached to the target object in space and is attracted with a magnetic force, with the magnetic force generated by the magnetic force generating portion. The plate-like body is attached to the target object in space prior to being launched into space and enables the aerospace vehicle to capture the target object by being attracted with a magnetic force generated by the magnetic force generating portion of the aerospace vehicle.

A node and a strut connect to one another to form a spaceframe structure, in which the strut has a strut bending stiffness and defines a strut axis. The node has a main body and an arm connecting to and extending from the main body along the strut axis and toward the strut. The arm has a node end attaching to the main body, a strut end connecting to the strut and a midsection extending there between. The midsection includes a neck portion having a neck bending stiffness being less than 20% of the strut bending stiffness. The strut includes primary and secondary sections that axially slidably connect to one another to position them between adjacent respective end-fittings of adjacent nodes, and partially axially overlap and secure to one another and to the end-fittings respectively. At least one of the end-fittings connects to the strut end of the arm.

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 method and system for exploring a remote environment from an environment simulator at a local base is disclosed. The system includes: at least one proxy robot in the remote environment with at least one near-field and at least one high resolution 360-degree far field video camera; at least one additional device at the remote environment to capture images and data; a transmitter at the remote environment to transmit the video and data to the local base; a terrain analysis computer at the local base to receive and process the video and data to generate a 360-degree approximated real time (ART) video field representing a terrain surrounding the at least one proxy robot; a display in the environment simulator to display the ART video field for at least one user; a full body motion capture suit marked to the dimensions of the at least one user; and a plurality of motion capture video cameras to capture each position change in the motion capture suit, wherein activities performed virtually in the environment simulator represent the identical activities to be performed by the proxy robot in the terrain of the remote environment.