The disclosure provides a connection and separation device driven by memory alloy wires, including an active end and a passive end. The active end includes a housing, an outer sleeve, fixed sheets, compression springs, a rotating sleeve, a base, memory alloy wires, guide wheels, a lock pin, a limiting sleeve I and a limiting sleeve II. The passive end includes a screw rod, a loading nut, a separation element and an adaptor. The upper end of the screw rod is provided with a threaded section matched with the loading nut, and the lower end of the screw rod is provided with multi-layer oblique protrusions. The multi-layer oblique protrusions extend into the upper part of an accommodating space formed by the limiting sleeve I and the limiting sleeve II. The memory alloy wires are shortened when being electrified, the base and the lock pin move up, the lock pin releases the limit on the lower ends of the limiting sleeve I and the limiting sleeve II, the two limiting sleeves rotate at the same time, the lower parts of the limiting sleeve I and the limiting sleeve II are folded, and the upper parts of the limiting sleeve I and the limiting sleeve II are opened and separated from the screw rod, so as to realize the separation of the active end and the passive end. The disclosure realizes quick separation and has the advantages of no impact, energy saving and environmental protection, small size, high reliability and reusability.

A satellite dispenser door release mechanism is disclosed. In various embodiments, a satellite door dispenser as disclosed herein includes a wire or cable having a first end configured to be secured in a structure comprising or coupled to a dispenser body of a satellite dispenser and a second end configured to be secured in a structure comprising or coupled to a dispenser door of the satellite dispenser; and a pyrotechnic cutter configured to receive the wire or cable in a position to cut the wire or cable upon firing of the pyrotechnic cutter.

A system for delivery to space on a launch vehicle includes a first payload configured to directly couple to an adapter structure of the launch vehicle, a second payload configured to directly couple to the adapter structure of the launch vehicle, and a tether between the first payload and the second payload. Subsequently to separation from the launch vehicle, the first payload is configured to move relative to the second payload, using the tether, to dock with the second payload.

The disclosure provides a locking and separating mechanism capable of achieving sequential release of multiple satellites and a working method thereof. The locking and separating mechanism includes a satellite group, two sets of locking assemblies and two sets of separating assemblies, wherein the satellite group includes a plurality of satellite bodies, the locking assemblies are located above the satellite group, the locking assemblies are connected with a base, the two sets of locking assemblies are arranged symmetrically at the diagonal line of the satellite group, the two sets of separating assemblies are arranged symmetrically on the two opposite sides of the satellite group, the bottom parts of the separating assemblies are fixedly connected with the base, and the inner sides of the separating assemblies are connected with the satellite group; the separating assemblies include sliding rails, a plurality of sliding blocks, redundant steel wire ropes, fixed pulleys A, pulley support seats A, fixed pulleys B, separating motors and pulley support seats B; the plurality of sliding blocks are matched with the sliding rails, the sliding blocks are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with spherical structures on the satellite bodies, the locking assemblies compress the satellite group, and the separating assemblies separate the satellite bodies one by one. The mechanism is simple in structure, low in energy consumption, and convenient to install and store, and can achieve separation of multiple satellites one by one.

A bolt catcher and extractor for use with a separation nut and an attaching preloaded bolt that secure a payload to a launch vehicle or spacecraft. The bolt catcher extracts the attaching bolt from the separation nut, pulls it clear of the interface between the launch vehicle or spacecraft and the released payload, and captures it within the bolt catcher housing. The released bolt may have kinetic energy due to the strain energy stored by the pre-release bolt preload. The bolt catcher may have a magnetic eddy current damper that controls the bolt velocity during bolt extraction and dissipates the bolt kinetic energy as heat. The bolt may be magnetically non-impact captured within the bolt catcher. Bolt momentum at the end of the bolt extraction is less than 2% of that of bolt catchers of the prior art. Shock to the released payload or deployable equipment is near zero.

A secondary payload bridge for a payload adapter is disclosed and includes a body portion, plurality of payload ports, and a secondary payload port. The plurality of attachment points are connected to the body portion of the secondary payload bridge. The plurality of attachment points are configured to removably attach the secondary payload bridge to the payload adapter to allow for clockable positioning of the secondary payload bridge around a circumference of the payload adapter. The secondary payload port is connected to the body portion. The secondary payload port is configured to releasably attach to a corresponding secondary payload.

A joint assembly thermally isolates a warm structure, such as a payload, from a cold structure, such as a cryogenic fuel tank, in a space vehicle while maintaining structural interconnection within the joint assembly. The joint assembly includes a primary joint that is capable of separating, and a secondary joint connected to and adjacent to the primary joint. The secondary joint includes an inflatable annulus structure and one or more restraining members, where separation of the primary joint causes the inflatable annulus structure to be in compression and the one or more restraining members to be in tension.

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a novel system, device, and methods for providing a one-way locking mechanism that changes the shape or stiffness of a structure. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a mechanism for increasing fairing jettison clearance. Embodiments of the present invention permit outward breathing displacement by the fairing, but reduce the inward breathing displacement by the fairing such that the fairing does not hit and damage the spacecraft or vehicle as it is jettisoned from the spacecraft or vehicle.

A payload carrier assembly comprises a payload fairing (1) for protecting at least one payload (3) mounted on at least one payload carrier (20) of a launcher (2), comprising at least one separable fairing part (10, 11) that can be arranged on top of the launcher (2) around the payload (3) to be launched, wherein the payload carrier assembly further comprises at least one first transfer element (4), which is in contact with the at least one fairing part (10, 11) and which, in the assembled state, can be in contact with at least the at least one payload (3) and can transfer forces, applied to the at least one payload (3), to the at least one fairing part (10, 11) and vice versa.

A coupling unit is disclosed for detachable coupling two pars of a spacecraft, the coupling unit connecting the two parts of the spacecraft in a connected condition and the coupling unit distancing the two parts of the spacecraft, when the coupling unit is in detached condition. The coupling unit comprises a first element and a second element engaged to each other in connected condition, with the second element comprising a gas generator for generating gas under pressure to detach the first and the second element to bring them in the detached position, thereby distancing the first element and the second element from each other, and thus also the first part and the second part connected to the respective elements.