The Boeing Company

Matthew Aaron Vavrina

John Lyle Vian

Emad William Saad

Jonathan Patrick How

Donald C Wunsch

Jared A Nisbett

Joshua Redding

Bernard J Michini

Tuna Toksoz

Jung Soon Jang

Brett M Bethke

Meng Hiot Lim

Caishun Chen

Zachary Dydek

Matthew A Michini

A method includes positioning a vehicle on a vehicle base station such that a first payload is aligned with an aperture in the vehicle base station. The method includes aligning an empty docking station of a payload advancing assembly with the aperture. The method includes removing the first payload from the vehicle and placing the first payload in the empty docking station of the payload advancing assembly, where the full docking station includes a second payload. The method also includes aligning a full docking station of the payload advancing assembly with the aperture and securing the second payload to the vehicle.

Vehicle base station

A system and methods for mission re-planning are presented. Vehicles are monitored in real-time, and an incapacitated vehicle from among the vehicles that performs an incomplete task is detected. A remaining coverage set comprising a remaining coverage area for each of the vehicles is determined. A travel distance from a task completion location of each of the vehicles to a stopped point of the incapacitated vehicle is calculated to provide a travel set. An extra coverage set is determined based on the travel set and the remaining coverage set, and an incomplete coverage area for the incomplete task is calculated. The extra coverage set is compared to the incomplete coverage area and the remaining coverage area to provide a sufficiency list, and an assigned vehicle is selected from the vehicles based on the sufficiency list.

Mission re-planning for coordinated multivehicle task allocation

A system for monitoring a vehicle having systems, components, and sensors has a nominal controller and an adaptive controller. A vehicle health function module is coupled to an output of the adaptive controller and generates a vehicle health output signal indicating a prognosis of at least one of the systems or components degradation of the vehicle.

Vehicle capability monitoring and adaptation system and method therefor

A method and apparatus comprising a location reference system and a control module. The location reference system is configured to generate location information for a number of mobile platforms in an environment. The control module is configured to receive the location information for the number of mobile platforms from the location reference system. The control module is further configured to generate command signals for the number of mobile platforms using the location information. The control module is further configured to send the command signals to the number of mobile platforms to operate the number of mobile platforms in the environment such that operation of the number of mobile platforms emulates the operation of a number of spacecraft systems in a non-Earth terrestrial environment.

Spacecraft development testbed system

A system to load and unload material from a vehicle comprises a vehicle base station and an assembly to autonomously load and unload material from the vehicle.

A vehicle base station comprises a platform on which a vehicle may be positioned, a first battery bay located on a first side of the platform, a battery replacement assembly to remove a battery from the vehicle and to replace the battery with a new battery, and a power source adapted to provide power to the vehicle while the vehicle is positioned on the platform.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Matthew Aaron Vavrina