The Boeing Company

Drs Sensors & Targeting Systems, Inc.

Jason D Flathom

Gary E Lemke

Miguel A Estevez

Dennis Yoichi Nakasone

Elvis D Silva

Christopher P Volk

Bruce Lee Drolen

Mario P Palombo

Jeffrey Scott Noel

Sadek W Mansour

Jonathan M Allison

Aimen E Shawki

Dave Hiley

Tal Kiani

Jose A Bernal

Bruce L Drolen

Systems and methods for launching a plurality of spacecraft, provided in a stack of spacecraft, from a launch vehicle traveling along an in-track path include releasing, in a first separation event occurring at a first time, a first spacecraft from the stack of spacecraft using a first separation force having a first separation force in-track component along the in-track path. Subsequently, in a second separation event occurring at a second time, a second spacecraft is released from the stack of spacecraft using a second separation force having a second separation force in-track component along the in-track path, wherein the second time occurs a first time delay after the first time. The first and second separation in-track components may be different, such as by varying a magnitude of the separation force or an angle at which the spacecraft is launched.

Systems and methods for launching a plurality of spacecraft

A spacecraft system includes a plurality of spacecraft in a stack. The stack has one or more layers, each layer includes at least two spacecraft, and each spacecraft is releasably coupled to one or more adjacent spacecraft in the stack. The spacecraft system also includes a controller configured to, for each layer, (i) cause the layer to release from the stack, and (ii) after the layer releases from the stack, cause the at least two spacecraft in the layer to release from each other.

Systems and methods for deploying a spacecraft arrangement

Systems, methods, and apparatus for dual condenser loop heat pipes for satellites with sun-normal radiators are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, a disclosed method for a satellite thermal management system comprises heating, in an evaporator, a liquid to convert the liquid to a vapor. The method further comprises passively circulating within tubing, from the evaporator, the vapor to a first radiator not illuminated by a sun and to a second radiator illuminated by the sun. Also, the method comprises converting the vapor to the liquid when the vapor is within the first radiator not illuminated by the sun. Further, the method comprises passively circulating within the tubing, from the first radiator not illuminated by the sun, the liquid to the evaporator.

Dual condenser loop heat pipe for satellites with sun-normal radiators

Systems and methods for deploying spacecraft

A precision mirror displacement assembly for controlling rotation of a mirror about a rotational axis to obtain a precise mirror orientation includes a mirror having an enhanced backside and a reflective front surface. The enhanced backside has a sufficient thickness to provide that attachment of mirror displacement control components, such as portions of actuator and position sensor assemblies, to the backside during manufacture of the mirror assembly does not cause distortion of the reflective front surface of the mirror. The enhanced backside also is of sufficient thickness to avoid distortion of the front surface based on interaction of the mirror with mechanical stops and actuator components that are attached to a base of a separate housing of the mirror assembly that opposes the backside of the mirror.

Precision mirror displacement assembly

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Irvine, CA, United States of America

Jason D Flathom