Spacecraft servicing devices or pods and related methods may be configured to be deployed from a carrier spacecraft and include at least one spacecraft servicing component configured to perform at least one servicing operation on the target spacecraft. The spacecraft servicing devices may be configured to be transported from an initial orbit to another orbit after the spacecraft servicing device is deployed from the carrier spacecraft.

A modular and scalable system to transfer space articles between space orbits. In one embodiment, the system employs a rendezvous vehicle which docks with a space article in an initial orbit, the connected stack then docking with a locomotive vehicle which maneuvers to a targeted orbit where the space article is detached. In one feature, the rendezvous vehicle and locomotive vehicle use a common propellant and the space article is a satellite.

A spacecraft including: an engine; a thrust vector control device controlling a thrust vector as a direction of a thrust acting on the spacecraft; and a main control device configured to acquire state quantities of the spacecraft in a powered descending in which the spacecraft is guided to a target point while the engine generates the thrust, and generate a throttling command by which combustion of the engine is controlled and an operation command by which the thrust vector control device is operated. The state quantities contain a first acceleration parameter and a second acceleration parameter. The first and second acceleration parameters are calculated as coefficients A and B obtained by fitting based on acceleration of the spacecraft previously detected, supposing the following equation is satisfied between a reciprocal number 1/a of the acceleration a of the spacecraft and time t:
1/a=−At+B  (1).

The invention is methods for landing rockets with precision using deep reinforcement learning for control. Embodiments of the invention are comprised of three steps. First, sensors collect data about the rocket's physical landing environment, passing information to rocket's database and processors. Second, the processors manipulate the information with a deep reinforcement learning program to produce instructions. Third, the instructions command the rocket's control system for optimal performance during landing.

A method (50) of acquiring images of a terrestrial region Z using a spacecraft (10) in non-geostationary orbit around the Earth (30), the spacecraft includes an observation instrument associated with a ground footprint of length L along the direction of travel, the method includes: a step (51) of observing a portion P1 of the terrestrial region Z, including a step of controlling the attitude of the spacecraft (10) during which the ground footprint is kept stationary during the entirety of the step of observing portion P1, and a step of acquiring an image of portion P1, a step (52) of modifying the pitch attitude of the spacecraft (10) so as to place the ground footprint over a portion P2 of the terrestrial region Z, and a step (53) of observing portion P2 of the terrestrial region.

A satellite in accordance with the present teachings has plural “thin” (i.e., panel-like) segments, which are coupled together and extendable along the in-track direction of movement of the satellite. One or more of these segments, which is advantageously an antenna panel, has the ability to “roll” relative other segments. This enables the satellite to establish and maintain direct pointing of the antenna panel to a targeted area on the ground. The antenna panel includes linear, electronically steerable array.

A method for attitude control of a satellite in inclined low orbit in survival mode is disclosed, the satellite including at least one solar generator, at least one solar sensor, magnetic torquers capable of forming internal magnetic moments in a satellite reference frame having three orthogonal axes X, Y, and Z, and inertial actuators capable of forming internal angular momentums in the satellite reference frame. The at least one solar sensor has a field of view at least 180° wide within the XZ plane around the Z axis, the method including a step of attitude control using a first control law, a step of searching for the sun by means of the at least one solar sensor, when a first phase of visibility of the sun is detected, and a step of attitude control using a second control law.

A method (50) for orbit control of a satellite (10) in Earth orbit and for desaturation of an angular momentum storage device of the satellite, the satellite (10) including an articulated arm (21) suitable for moving a propulsion unit (31) within a motion volume included in a half-space delimited by an orbital plane when the satellite is in a mission attitude, the method (50) including a single-arm control mode using only the propulsion unit (31) carried by the articulated arm (21), the single-arm control mode using a maneuvering plan including only thrust maneuvers to be executed when the satellite (10) is located within an angular range of at most 180° centered on a target node in the orbit of the satellite (10), including two thrust maneuvers to be performed respectively upstream and downstream of the target node.

An apparatus includes a satellite in the form of a plate having a thickness being smaller than a width of the satellite. The apparatus also includes a plurality of contact points distributed on a face of the satellite, allowing for one or more additional satellites to be stacked upon the satellite.

An object is to notify an appropriate intrusion alert by determining whether debris will intrude into an orbit area of a satellite constellation. A passage determination unit (110) determines whether debris will pass through a satellite orbit area, based on satellite orbit forecast information in which a forecast value of an orbit of a satellite is set and debris orbit forecast information in which a forecast value of an orbit of debris is set. When it is determined that debris will pass through the satellite orbit area, an alert generation unit (120) generates an intrusion alert (111) including a predicted time, predicted location coordinates, and predicted velocity vector information that relate to passage of the debris. An alert notification unit (130) notifies the intrusion alert (111) to a management business device (40) used by a management business operator that manages a satellite that flies in the satellite orbit area.