Provided is a system and method for robotic interfacing. The system includes a first object having a grapple fixture and a plurality of outrigger support pillars. The system includes a second object having an end effector and a plurality of outrigger support arms. The plurality of outrigger support pillars couple to the plurality of outrigger arms to strengthen a previously designed interface between the end effector and the grapple fixture so that the interface is able to withstand increased loading for new applications.

A superconductive, electromagnetic launch system is implemented on a stratospheric airship. The launcher includes a plurality of twisted cylinders, wherein each of the plurality of cylinders has an infinity-type shape or other shape including one or two lobes. The lobes of the plurality of cylinders are aligned, and adjacent cylinders are connected by a bridge to form one continuous guideway. Superconducting coils are positioned external to a bore in the guideway and generate a magnetic field or flux within the bore that levitates and propels the vessel. A cooling system cools the superconducting coils to a transition temperature at which one or more superconducting materials in the plurality of coils transition to a superconducting state. The vessel is accelerated in the guideway and launched from a stratospheric altitude of the airship at a velocity necessary to reach space.

The present disclosure provides a multi-arm spacecraft model predictive control method based on the mixture of Gaussian processes, equipment, and a medium. Model predictive control has excellent performance in dealing with complex nonlinear systems such as multi-arm spacecrafts with various constraints, and is widely applied to ground robots, unmanned aerial vehicles, autonomous driving and other practical scenarios. Therefore, a task space controller is designed based on the model predictive control in the present disclosure. Besides, in order to enhance the anti-interference capability of the present disclosure, an interference model is established and compensation is carried out in the model predictive control by utilizing the characteristics of small training data volume and high training speed in the mixture of Gaussian processes. Finally, a thrust distribution method is designed to complete platform control. The method provided by the present disclosure is convenient and intuitive in design and has relatively high practicability.

A modular satellite testing platform system having an upper and a lower member along with a plurality of support members, intermediate members, and lower bar members that are interconnected to the upper member and the lower member. The system further includes a plurality of shelf members that are attached to the support members. The satellite also includes a plurality of bottom cover members that are attached to the lower member by a plurality of hinge members that allow the cover members to selectively rotated about an axis to be rotatably translated between an opened position and a closed position. The system yet further includes a thermal control system to allow maintaining the thermals of the satellite as desired.

Disclosed are a method, a device, an apparatus for capturing a non-cooperative target using a space robotic arm, and a non-transitory storage medium, and relates to the technical field of on-orbit servicing. The method is applied to a space robotic arm with a magnetic capture device as an end actuator. The method includes: establishing a magnetic attractive force model for the magnetic capture device, determining a magnetic attractive force characteristic of the magnetic capture device based on the magnetic attractive force model, determining a capture strategy for the non-cooperative target based on the magnetic attractive force characteristic of the magnetic capture device, capturing the non-cooperative target according to the capture strategy, and determining whether the non-cooperative target is captured based on a preset determination condition.

A dimpled spherical storage unit is described in the form of a cargo ball. The cargo ball includes a spherical exterior surface and a plurality of dimples in a pattern on the exterior surface. At least a first cover is configured to extend outward from the center of the cargo ball and at least a first thruster is configured to be deployed from the cargo ball.

A coupling system and a method of coupling two objects. The coupling system including a passive unit having a first side and an opposing second side, the first side having a recess with a lip. The coupling system further having an active unit that includes an actuator, a cam mechanism and a plurality of capture rollers. The cam mechanism is operably coupled to the actuator, the cam mechanism being movable from a stowed position to a deployed position. The plurality of capture rollers is operably coupled to the cam mechanism to move from a first position to a second position in response to the cam mechanism moving from the stowed position to the deployed position, the plurality of capture rollers engaging the lip in the second position when the passive unit is in contact with the active unit.

Systems and methods for assisting movement of a user and/or a base connected to one or more robotic limbs are described herein. Forces may be applied to one or more robotic limbs to control movement of the base. The base may be attached to a user, or other payload, and forces applied to the base due to externally applied forces, such as those applied by a user interacting with an environment, may result in reactionary forces being applied to the one or more robotic limbs. These forces may be detected and used to determine one or more commands for operation of the one or more robotic limbs. Optionally, the robotic limbs may include one or more end effectors which may removably couple or otherwise be held substantially stationary relative to an environment to form a closed loop kinematic chain.

The present invention relates to articulating spacecraft chassis and methods of making and using same. The present invention relates to spacecraft chassis and methods of making and using same. Such spacecraft chassis have a dynamic movement capability that allows the spacecraft to alter its structure while still maintaining industry volumetric launch standards. This capability increases opens up a wide range of achievable volumetric states and increases the ability to meet mission requirements by introducing a new tunable parameter. In addition, the judicious selection of certain dynamic movement parameters can result increased payload capabilities and improved maneuverability.

To facilitate on-orbit servicing, such as for a refueling operation, techniques are presented for a servicing satellite to cut through the multi-layer insulation blanket of a client satellite to provide access to the client satellite without releasing unacceptable quantities of foreign object debris from the multi-layer insulation. The serving satellite includes a sealing tool, such as a pair of heater rollers, that apply pressure and heat to the insulating blanket to melt the inner layers and seal the outer layers together. The servicing satellite can then use a cutting tool to cut the sealed region and access the client satellite.