Establishing and growth of a lunar or planetary surface base involves continuing to use landing spacecraft as docked modules of the base for habitation and work. A first spacecraft is landed at a specified surface site then doubles as first module of the base. A second (and later third and subsequent) spacecraft is landed at the site a safe distance from the existing base modules then moved over the surface into a side-by-side position to dock with selected base modules. At least some of the landing, surface transport, and operational electric power is supplied by micro-fusion using ambient cosmic rays and muons interacting with deuterium-containing particle fuel material to generate energetic reaction products.

A satellite attitude data fusion system and method is disclosed, applicable to the earth satellite environment to estimate attitude data of the satellite. When the satellite attitude data fusion system of the present invention is used to perform the satellite attitude data fusion method, the first step is to perform a body rates quaternion attitude data processing operation. Then, the next step is to perform an attitude/rates data fusion processing operation, wherein an attitude data fusion algorithm module receives the first IAE result data from the first EKF, and the second JAE result data from the second EKF, and performs an attitude/rates data fusion algorithm in a subsystem level to evaluate an attitude estimation JAE performance.

A capsulation satellite module for transferring a payload by an earth-launch vehicle to an outer space. The capsulation satellite module comprises a casing defining a hermetically sealed inner cavity therewithin. The casing includes a continuous sidewall and first and second cover assemblies mounted to axially opposite sides of the sidewall so as to delimit the hermetically sealed inner cavity within the casing. The first cover assembly defines a first gas chamber therein extending over the inner cavity of the casing. The second cover assembly defines a second gas chamber therein extending over the inner cavity of the casing. Each of the first gas chamber and the second gas chamber are fluidly connected to the sealed inner cavity and to each other through the sealed inner cavity to maintain predetermined pressure and temperature within the cavity.

A collision-avoidance propulsion system and method for orbiting satellites and other spacecraft takes advantage of ambient cosmic rays in space to catalyze micro-fusion events via particle-target fusion and muon-catalyzed fusion processes, using the reaction products to produce thrust upon orbiting satellites and other spacecraft. A supply of deuterium-containing particle fuel material is propelled in a specified direction of the spacecraft in response to indication of a potential collision with another space object (e.g. orbiting debris). In one embodiment, this may be performed by propellant gas expelling the fuel material through conduits to specified ports on the exterior of the spacecraft. The propelled material interacts with the ambient cosmic rays and muon generated from those cosmic rays to induce micro-fusion. A portion of the energetic reaction products (e.g. alpha particles) are received upon the spacecraft to alter its trajectory in a manner that avoids the potential collision.

A system and method of acquiring and delivering samples, such as in association with an interplanetary vehicle is provided. The system includes a gas delivery assembly having a storage tank with a compressed gas. A sampler device is provided having a hollow interior, the hollow interior having a curved and angled surface, an open end and an exit end. A plurality of nozzles are fluidly coupled between the hollow interior and the storage tank, at least one of the plurality of nozzles arranged to direct the compressed gas towards the exit end. A sample capture assembly is further provided having a container fluidly coupled to the exit end.

This disclosure describes various techniques and systems for rapid low-cost access to suborbital and orbital space and accommodation of acceleration of sensitive payloads to space. For example, a distributed gas injection system may be used in a ram accelerator to launch multiple payloads through the atmosphere. Additionally or alternatively, multiple projectiles may assemble during flight through the atmosphere to transfer and/or resources to another projectile.

A global warming or cooling mitigation and solar energy system, comprising tethered pairs of reflecting mirror systems of similar or identical size, situated at approximately Lagrange Point One between the Earth and the Sun; a first, Sun facing mirror system reflects radiation to a second, Earth or near Earth facing mirror system, the second mirror system targets the radiation to solar panels, other targets for purposes such as weather management, or to a third mirror system in a geosynchronous orbit, which in turn can target solar panels on Earth during night time. Because only one of the two tethered mirror systems is sending radiation to Earth, the result is typically a 50% reduction of total energy reaching the Earth from, as measured by the surface area of the two mirrors; this causes global cooling. Because electrical energy can be generated from the invention, it is anticipated the invention can be practiced on a for profit basis, with global warming mitigation an automatic public benefit. The invention further comprises non-reflective, global cooling elements, which serve only to block radiation from the Sun. The tethered pairs of mirrors have ion engines for maneuvering and positioning, such that they can be positioned with minimal energy required on the approximate orbital path of Lagrange Point one, but far enough off to the side to intercept solar radiation that would have otherwise missed the Earth, thus they can be used to either increase or decrease global warming; in effect the invention can function as a giant Earth thermostat. Further applications, variations and anticipated benefits are detailed.

A sampling system includes a sampler, a projector, a camera, an arm, and a controller with the sampler, projector, and camera being located at the distal end of the arm. The projector projects a reference mark including a line with a predetermined shape onto a ground surface and the camera captures images of the projected mark. The controller is configured to obtain the size of the projected line based on the camera images. The controller adjusts the projector height position based on the line size and specifies a sampling point for inserting the sampler based on the camera images of the projected mark.

A sampling method includes: obtaining topographical information about a predetermined wide area by using a first sensor on a work machine; selecting a candidate area within the wide area, the candidate area is less than an area of the wide area, and setting a movement route based on the information about the wide area, the movement route allows a distal end portion of an arm provided on the work machine to reach a preparation position without coming into contact with an obstacle, the preparation position being located above the candidate area; moving the distal end portion of the arm along the movement route to the preparation position, and obtaining topographical information about the candidate area by using a second sensor on the distal end portion of the arm; and specifying a sampling point based on the information about the candidate area and performing sampling at the specified sampling point.

A spacecraft sunshade is provided. The sunshade includes a surface that is maintained in a sun facing orientation. Adjustments to a position of the sunshade are made in a plane that is transverse to a line of sight to the sun, in order to block sunlight from being directly incident on an instrument associated with the spacecraft. The sunshade can include photovoltaic elements on the sun-facing surface of the sunshade. In addition, the sunshade can be formed from an opaque material, and further from a material that absorbs heat from the sun and reradiate that heat to the instrument. The sunshade can perform stray light blocking, electrical power generation, and radiational heating functions.