A single-person spacecraft includes a pressurized crew enclosure, an external equipment bay, and an overhead crown assembly.

Spacecraft servicing devices or pods and related methods may include a body configured to be deployed from a host spacecraft at a location adjacent a target spacecraft and at least one spacecraft servicing component configured to perform at least one servicing operation on the target spacecraft.

A satellite for clearing debris from congested orbital paths includes an elongated body with first and second longitudinal ends that contain magnets in a bastion shape that attract metallic space debris in an indirect collection manner. The bastions are by design protected from collision damage from incoming debris that the satellite system collects during active debris removal missions. The elongated body defines a transverse direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal direction. The elongated body further includes an exterior and defines an interior capsule. The satellite also includes a first magnet coupled to the first longitudinal end of the elongated body. One or both poles of the first magnet are oriented such that a first field is emitted from the first longitudinal end substantially along the longitudinal direction. The satellite additionally includes a power system having a battery and positioned within or partially within the interior capsule. The battery is recharged by a system of retractable, and therefore protectable, solar panels. A propulsion system of the satellite includes two or more boosters coupled to the exterior of the elongate body on both ends. The boosters are configured to orient the first longitudinal end such that the first field attracts a magnetic item of space debris. The boosters are used to lower the active debris removal satellite and use momentum to deorbit space debris. Likewise, the boosters are used to reachieve orbit or move away from Earth once the debris has been successfully deorbited, thus making the satellite system reusable for the satellite operator's next mission of choice.

A first step of propelling a transport ship from a low earth orbit or a geostationary transfer orbit to a targeted orbit or a destination with electric propulsion is provided.

A capture interface is provided. The capture interface is configured to be rigidly affixed to an external surface of a recovery object and captured by a capture device. The capture interface includes a matte ferromagnetic surface of flat disposition and geometric outline, configured to facilitate capture by the capture device. The ferromagnetic surface includes a capture interface identifier.

Provided are methods and systems for a modular multi-stage aerospace system having a first-stage vehicle that lifts and accelerates and is capable of achieving velocities of Mach 2.5, the first-stage vehicle powered by at least one turbine engine, and capable of autonomous and remote control; and a second-stage atmospheric flight vehicle capable of velocities of Mach 5.0, the second-stage atmospheric flight vehicle powered by at least one hydrogen-fueled turboramjet engine, and capable of carrying an internal payload; wherein the first-stage vehicle is adapted to support the second-stage atmospheric flight vehicle, as the first-stage vehicle reaches velocities sufficient to launch the second-stage atmospheric flight vehicle, and the second-stage atmospheric flight vehicle is capable of travel 12,000 miles.

An apparatus to align and connect complementary signal connectors on two different bodies comprises a housing having a housing support structure, a front side and a rear side. A first drive system on one body is used to operate a threaded shaft to join the two bodies. A second drive system that includes a rotatable shaft that is used to drive a cam to advance a signal connector panel on the one body to connect to a signal connector on the other body.

The present disclosure relates to deployable structures and methods of use thereof. In particular, deployable structures with non-cylindrical or irregular shapes and methods of use thereof are disclosed. Non-cylindrical combustion elements can be used to rigidize such non-cylindrical or irregular shapes. The use of gaseous oxidizers along with deployable structures is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a space debris collecting and evacuating spacecraft and an associated method of removing floating space debris. The spacecraft includes a space debris capturing mechanism and a debris container for collecting the captured space debris. An evacuation system re-orbits the stored space debris or sends same towards the sun to remove the floating space debris from near earth orbits. The spacecraft is propelled by integrated solar panel arrays and the space debris capturing can be activated/actuated automatically upon detecting the debris or can be done manually by a control center positioned on earth which is communicatively coupled to the spacecraft. The evacuation system has an associated pipe for evacuating the stored debris.

The invention relates to a method for deflecting space debris comprising steps of: launching (E2) a thruster (2) by means of a sounding rocket (1) at a target altitude close to that of the one or more debris to be deflected. generating (E3) by the thruster a gas cloud (G) above the sounding rocket.