Hughes Aircraft Company

Hughes Missile Systems Company

John D Smith

Ryan D Lamberton

Andrew B Facciano

Rudolph Adolph Eisentraut

Stephen D Haight

A missile (20) includes a missile body (22) and a structure for controlling the flight path of the missile body. The control structure includes at least one control fin (28) and an actuator shaft (38) that supports the control fin (28) for rotational missile control movement about a control axis (30) perpendicular the axis (23) of the missile body (22). A deployment shaft (42) extending from the control fin (28) is rotatable in a deployment shaft bore (46) in the actuator shaft (38), and permits the control fin (28) to rotate from a folded position (56) parallel and adjacent to the missile body (22) to a extended position (58) parallel to the control axis (30)

Missile with deployable control fins

A mechanism locking and controllably releasing two space vehicles along a preselected separation axis. The mechanism including a mechanical lock/release and a spring separation device that controllably forces the two space vehicles apart. An electrical interconnect maintains electrical communication between the two space vehicles when locked together. The two space vehicles can be reliably separated by activating a single disengagement actuator.

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Tucson, AZ, United States of America

John D Smith