Patent ID: 6131857
Filing Date: 2000-10-17
Classification: B64G

Abstract:
A miniature spacecraft apparatus comprising:a rigid structural and symmetrical body portion including plural walls arranged to form an open central cylindrical wall enclosure, and appended to the central cylindrical wall enclosure, and extending radially outwardly therefrom a plurality of spaced apart planetary cylindrical wall enclosures each having a generally triangular arrangement of structural wall sections;the planetary cylindrical wall enclosures arranged for defining generally rectangular volumes therebetween, the rectangular volumes being positioned for access from at least four opposing sides of the apparatus;a top and a bottom plates engaged with the body portion and the planetary wall enclosures in positions for enclosing the central cylindrical wall enclosure and the planetary cylindrical wall enclosures, the plates providing partial enclosure also to the rectangular volumes;a cylindrical storage pod positioned within the central cylindrical wall enclosure, the storage pod providing a means for lateral structural reinforcement such that forces applied to the storage pod are transferred through the lateral reinforcement means to the cylindrical wall enclosure;a closed cylindrical storage vessel enclosed within the storage pod by the top and bottom plates, the storage vessel providing fluid valving means extending outwardly from a pass-through means in at least one of the plates.