The present invention relates to an elastic metamaterial for reducing vibrations of a flexible structure such as a main cable of a tether system for controlling an orbit of a satellite revolving around a planet, and a method for improving a vibration reduction performance thereof, and more particularly, to an elastic metamaterial having an improved precision, in which a ratio of a cross-sectional area of a pendulum ring may be adjusted to maintain a frequency characteristic other than a band gap generated due to the elastic metamaterial even in a state where a mass of the pendulum ring is not changed, and a band gap (R_ring) generated due to the pendulum ring of the elastic metamaterial and a band gap (R_beam) generated due to the elastic beams may be combined into one band gap to expand a vibration damping range, and a method for improving a vibration reduction performance thereof.

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 system for imparting linear momentum transfer may include a catching mechanism of a target space vehicle and a tether that is configured to impart a linear momentum transfer from the tether to the target space vehicle. The tether may be fixedly or detachably connected to a Kinetic Energy Storage and Transfer (KEST) vehicle that maneuvers and potentially retrieves the tether. Alternatively, the tether may be separate from the KEST vehicle and may be retrieved by a suitable retrieving mechanism, such as a robotic arm.

A method for creating an artificial reentry corridor. Several modules are deployed in a retrograde orbit relative to target debris. Each module releases a gas plume which, in turn creates an artificial reentry corridor. The debris passes through the corridor and becomes decelerated.

A link device comprising a first object and a second object comprises a first strip, capable of passing from a configuration wound about an axis Z about a support fixed to the first object to a configuration deployed along an axis X substantially at right angles to the axis Z, the strip having an end intended to come into contact with the second object, so as to link the first object to the second object.

The present invention relates to couplers for transferring fluid between space assets, particularly in a vacuum microgravity environment with radiation exposure. In particular, the couplers provide for transfer of fluids, such as propellants, coolants, pressurant gases, or life-support fluids, preferably between assets in the space environment or in terrestrial environments such as Earth, the Moon, or Mars. The couplers provide self-alignment features which enable their use in blind-mate, telerobotic, fully autonomous robotic systems. The invention provides a common design architecture for different fluids accommodating a variety of flow rates and pressure drops depending upon the particular fluid. The basic wetted component design of the invention involves a rigid, centrally-disposed nozzle on the Passive Side which contacts and opens a poppet valve on the Active Side as the two sides are coupled; and a rigid annular nozzle on the Active Side, coaxially located with but occupying a different radius than the Passive Side nozzle, which contacts and opens a corresponding contamination cover on the Passive Side.

[Object] To provide an electron source that is lightweight, simple in configuration, and capable of suppressing characteristic degradation or recovering characteristics without causing an increase in power consumption.

[Solving Means] A CNT electron source includes: a CNT emitter 32 for emitting electrons; a gate electrode 33 for extracting electrons from the CNT emitter 32; and a gate power supply connection switching relay 37a and a CNT emitter grounding switching relay 37b that cause the gate electrode 33 to emit electrons to irradiate the CNT emitter with electrons.

A spacecraft reaction control system comprising: a spacecraft having a center of mass; a length of tether extending from said spacecraft and offset from said spacecraft's center of mass and means for controllably changing said extension of said offset such that a variable force is exerted upon said spacecraft by said tether, said force being offset from said center of mass.

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.

Spacecraft servicing systems include a spacecraft servicing device and at least one mission extension pod comprising at least one spacecraft servicing component. The spacecraft servicing device is configured to transfer the at least pod to a target spacecraft in order to service the target spacecraft with the at least one spacecraft servicing component of the at least one pod. Spacecraft servicing pods configured to be supplied to a spacecraft with a spacecraft servicing device include at least one spacecraft servicing component.