Busek Company, Inc.

Thomas R Roy

Vladimir J Hruby

Nathaniel Demmons

Douglas Spence

Jesse V Gray

James J Szabo

Matthew R Berlin

Eric Ehrbar

Vlad Hruby

Jurg Zwahlen

Craig DeLuccia

Jay Andrews

W Dan Williams

Roy Martin

A spacecraft system and method includes a platform with a dock and an umbilical payout device. A robot is connected to an umbilical paid out by the umbilical payout device and is repeatedly deployable from the dock. The robot includes one or more imagers, an inertial measurement unit, and a plurality of thrusters. A command module receives image data from the one or more robot imagers and orientation data from the inertial measurement unit. An object recognition module is configured to recognize one or more objects from the received image data. The command module determines the robot's orientation with respect to an object and issues thruster control commands to control movement of the robot based on the robot's orientation. The combination of the space platform and robot on umbilical line can be used for towing another object to different orbital location, inspection including self-inspection of the robot carrying platform and for robotic servicing.

Spacecraft system for debris disposal and other operations and methods pertaining to the same

An electrospray source useful for a variety of applications and including an emitter with a porous media flow distributor having a surface forming multiple Taylor cones. A casing about the porous media flow distributor controls the direction of a working fluid through the porous media. An extractor is at a potential different than the emitter for forming the Taylor cones. A guard electrode is disposed between the emitter and the extractor and is at or above the potential of the emitter for shaping the electric field formed between the emitter and the extractor.

Electrospray source

An electrospray device includes an electrospray emitter adapted to receive electrospray fluid; an extractor plate spaced from the electrospray emitter and having at least one aperature; and a power supply for applying a first voltage between the extractor plate and emitter for generating at least one Taylor cone emission through the aperature to create an electrospray plume from the electrospray fluid, the extractor plate as well as accelerator and shaping plates may include a porous, conductive medium for transporting and storing excess, accumulated electrospray fluid away from the aperature.

Electrospray device

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Maynard, MA, United States of America

Thomas R Roy