Direct to facility capture and release

A method for delivering a payload to a space facility is provided. The method includes detecting the relative position and velocity of a launch vehicle stage, the launch vehicle stage including the payload and one or more thrusters. The method also includes providing guidance information to the laun...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors DAMERON KIRK DAVID, LOUCKS MICHEL EDWARD, GOFF JONATHAN ANDREW
Format Patent
LanguageEnglish
Published 06.06.2013
Subjects
AIRCRAFT
AVIATION
COSMONAUTICS
PERFORMING OPERATIONS
TRANSPORTING
VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
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Summary:A method for delivering a payload to a space facility is provided. The method includes detecting the relative position and velocity of a launch vehicle stage, the launch vehicle stage including the payload and one or more thrusters. The method also includes providing guidance information to the launch vehicle stage. The launch vehicle stage does not include a relative navigation system. In response to receiving the guidance information, the method further includes activating one or more thrusters corresponding to the guidance information, and guiding a capture head of a boom into capture proximity to the payload. One end of the boom is coupled to the space facility and the other end of the boom is coupled to the capture head. The method also includes capturing the payload, removing any residual relative velocity of the payload relative to the space facility, and moving the captured payload to the space facility.
Bibliography:Application Number: US201213706956