Astrium Gmbh

Eads Space Transportation Gmbh

Eads Space Transportaiton Gmbh

Bernd Bischof

Hansjuergen Guenther

Lothar Kerstein

Juergen Starke

Peter Foth

Frank Steinsiek

A remotely controlled apparatus for grasping an object such as a satellite in space includes a free-flying grasper unit connected by a selectively extendable cable to an orbital platform. The orbital platform and the grasper unit are preferably each independently propelled by respective propulsion systems including multi-axis maneuvering nozzles respectively provided on the orbital platform and on the grasper unit. The grasper unit preferably includes a grasper unit body and a grasper-arm mechanism having a controllable grasping claw articulately mounted on the end of a controllable telescoping arm that extends from the grasper unit body. The grasper unit preferably further includes a camera and a distance measuring sensor to provide visual and distance feedback data for assisting the remotely controlled maneuvering of the grasper unit and actuation of the grasper-arm mechanism.

Apparatus for grasping objects in space

Capture devices are mounted on a space platform such as a spacecraft or utility satellite. Each capture device includes a folded capture net stored in a housing, guide weights connected to the net and received in spring-loaded ejection tubes oriented at an acute angle relative to the axis of the housing around the perimeter thereof, and a spring-loaded releasable cover that is connected to the net, covers the net in the housing, and holds the weights in the ejection tubes. When the cover is released, it is spring-ejected from the housing while pulling out and unfolding the net, and the weights are spring-ejected out of the ejection tubes while spreading out the net. After the net wraps around a free-flying target object in space, net closure mechanisms reel-in a net pursing line to close the net, which is connected to the space platform by a tether line on a winch.

System for capturing and recovering free-flying objects in space

A recovery craft with a coupling arrangement captures, engages, and transports a defective or expended non-maneuverable spacecraft. The coupling arrangement includes a coupling mast (e.g. a telescoping pipe), a releasable rigid mount that secures one end of the coupling mast to the recovery craft, and spreader arms that are radially spreadable from the other end of the coupling mast. The spreader arms are initially radially inwardly retracted, and are inserted into an interface ring of the spacecraft. Then the spreader arms are radially outwardly extended to engage behind a protruding rim of the interface ring. A spring braces against the spacecraft. Next, the rigid mount is released and the coupling mast remains connected to the recovery craft only by a tension-transmitting cable. Thrusters of the recovery craft are activated to tow the spacecraft to a new target position, orbit, or trajectory.

Arrangement for recovering spacecraft

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Ganderkesee, Germany

Bernd Bischof