The Boeing Company

John W Behrens

Frank O Chandler

Jeffrey J Cronick

Leora Peltz

Glenn N Caplin

Daniel E Rivera

Robert V Frampton

Thomas L Kessler

Scott B Singer

Kevin Nemeth

Andrew I Mactavish

Marc Louis Breen

Craig Alan Christy

Bruce Lee Drolen

Alfredo Lopez

Michael Worcester

Geoffrey Orias

A transfer system for supplying a receiving tank of a receiving spacecraft with a supply gas from a supply spacecraft. A transfer tank is disposed on the supply spacecraft and configured to retain a supply gas. A transfer line is coupled to the transfer tank, and one end thereof may be coupled to the receiving tank. A transfer valve is operatively coupled to the transfer line. A heating system is thermally coupled to the transfer tank. A control system is operatively coupled to the transfer valve and the heating system. The control system is operable to cause a transfer quantity of the supply gas to be heated, and to open the transfer valve, such that a difference between the increased pressure of the supply gas in the transfer tank and a pressure in the receiving tank causes the transfer quantity of the supply gas to flow to the receiving tank.

Space-based gas supply system

A method of supplying a receiving tank of a receiving spacecraft with a supply gas. The method includes coupling a second end of a transfer line in flow communication with the receiving tank. The transfer line extends from a first end to the second end. The first end is coupled to a transfer tank disposed on a supply spacecraft. The transfer tank holds a transfer quantity of the supply gas. The supply spacecraft includes a heating system coupled in thermal communication with the transfer tank and a transfer valve operatively coupled to the transfer line. The method also includes activating the heating system while the transfer valve is closed such that a pressure of the transfer quantity of the supply gas is increased. The method further includes opening the transfer valve, wherein a difference between the increased pressure of the supply gas in the transfer tank and a pressure in the receiving tank causes a portion of the transfer quantity of the supply gas to flow through the transfer line to the receiving tank.

A thermal management system ('TMS') for controlling the temperature of a selective reflective panel is disclosed. The TMS includes a solar concentrator array, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The solar concentrator array is located within the selective reflective panel and has a plurality of reflectors arranged in reflector groups. The temperature sensor monitors a temperature of the selective reflective panel at a location of the temperature sensor. The controller monitors the local temperature of the selective reflective panel utilizing the temperature sensor and, in response, produces a control signal that is sent to the solar concentrator array. The control signal directs the solar concentrator array to position a selected number of reflectors on the concentrator array into an off-pointing position in response to monitoring the temperature sensor, where the selected number of reflectors is determined to control the local temperature of the selective reflective panel.

Thermal management system for controlling the temperature of a reflective surface having a solar concentrator array

A system and method for generating electrical power from a solar power supply using at least one concentrator array having a plurality of photovoltaic cells and corresponding reflector groups to direct light to the photovoltaic. A concentration ratio indicative of a portion of the electrical power capacity to generate to power a spacecraft is determined. The concentration ratio is communicated to a control module on the concentrator array. The control module selects a number of reflectors from the total number of reflectors to orient into a photovoltaic energizing position, where the selected number of reflectors corresponds to a concentration ratio of the total number of reflectors.

System and method for controlling the power ratio of a solar concentrator array

An electrothermal deployment system may be configured for controlled release of various apparatus from their prelaunch stowage positions in small satellites. The deployment system includes a fusible line secured to a structural component of the satellite, as well as to various deployable apparatus secured to, within, or on the satellite. The deployable apparatus may include items such as solar panels and antennas. The deployment system includes an electrically resistive element such as a burn bar formed of a cylinder or tube, including a resistor pad overlying and/or incorporated within an exterior surface of the burn bar. The burn bar may be coupled to an electrical circuit configured to heat the resistor for the purpose of melting the fusible line secured in direct contact therewith, thus causing the fusible line to break to cause deployment. The fusible line is configured to remain in secure contact with the resistor until apparatus deployment.

NANOSAT electrothermal deployment system

A propellant depot () includes a utility box (') that has space flight equipment. A propellant cartridge adaptor () is coupled to the utility box (&#x2032;) and to an exchangeable propellant cartridge system (). The propellant depot () also includes a docking adaptor () for coupling to an approaching spacecraft (). A controller () controls the transfer of propellant from within the exchangeable propellant cartridge system () to the spacecraft (). A method of providing propellant to a spacecraft in space includes launching an orbital propellant depot () into space. The spacecraft is docked to the orbital propellant depot () in space. Propellant is transferred to the spacecraft. The spacecraft is separated from the orbital propellant depot ().

Exchangeable propellant cartridge system

An in-space spacecraft servicing system () includes a servicing spacecraft () and a propellant module (). The servicing spacecraft includes a client servicing system (), as well as navigation avionics () for independent flight operation and a servicing propellant tank (). The propellant module moves the servicing module from an upper stage drop off location and releases it in proximity to a client spacecraft () for a servicing mission. It has a propellant tank () with capacity for multiple missions and is used to refill the servicing spacecraft's propellant tanks between missions. Either or both the servicing spacecraft and the propellant module may have navigation avionics. The servicing spacecraft also has a universal docking adaptor () for different client spacecraft, and can convert a client spacecraft from non-cooperative to cooperative.

Spacecraft servicing vehicle with adaptors, tools and attachment mechanisms

Two part spacecraft servicing vehicle system with universal docking adaptor

Two part spacecraft servicing vehicle system with adaptors, tools, and attachment mechanisms

Space depot for spacecraft resupply

A cryocooler is located on a spacecraft bus, such as a bus box, separate from the cryogenic propellant tanks disposed on a separable and distinct propellant cartridge system spacecraft docked to the spacecraft bus. In operation, propellant may be continuously pumped from the tanks through the cryocooler cold heat exchanger and then back to the tanks on the separable propellant cartridge system spacecraft through temporarily couplable lines. After the propellant tanks are depleted, the propellant cartridge system is then undocked from the bus and typically discarded. A new propellant cartridge system spacecraft comprising a full set of tanks may then be docked to the bus and the cryocooler supply/return lines coupled. The remote cryocooler may function as part of a larger space depot for spacecraft resupply, although it is not limited to such applications.

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El Segundo, CA, United States of America

John W Behrens