The United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of the

Gregory A Lange

John A Schliesing

John P McManamen

A system for docking a space vehicle 11 to a space station 12 where a connecting tunnel for in-flight transfer of personnel is required. Cooperable coupling mechanisms 51, 52 include docking rings 56, 61 on the space vehicle 11 and space station 12, respectively. The space station is provided with a tunnel structure 15, a retraction mechanism 30, and a docking ring 56 attached thereto. The vehicle coupling mechanism 52 is designed to capture the station coupling mechanism 51, arrest relative spacecraft motions while limiting loads to acceptable levels, and then realign the spacecraft for final docking and tunnel interconnection. The docking ring 61 of the space vehicle coupling mechanism is supported by linear attenuator actuator devices 63 each of which is controlled by a control system (FIG. 10) which receives loading information signals and attenuator stroke information signals from each device 63 and supplies output signals for controlling its linear actuation to attenuate impact loading or to realign the spacecraft for final docking and tunnel interconnection. Retraction mechanism 30 is used to draw the spacecraft together after initial contact and coupling. Tunnel trunnions 21, 22, 23, 25 cooperative with latches 67 on the space vehicle 11 constitute the primary structural tie between the spacecraft in final docked configuration.

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Gregory A Lange