Patent ID: 8967548
Filing Date: 2015-03-03
Classification: B64G,G05B

Abstract:
1. A method for delivering a payload to a space facility, comprising: detecting, by the space facility, the relative position and velocity of a launch vehicle stage, the launch vehicle stage comprising the payload and one or more thrusters; providing, by the space facility, guidance information to the launch vehicle stage, wherein the launch vehicle stage does not include a relative navigation system; in response to receiving the guidance information from the space facility, activating, by the launch vehicle stage, the one or more thrusters corresponding to the guidance information; guiding, by the space facility, a capture head of a boom into capture proximity to the payload, wherein one end of the boom is coupled to the space facility and the other end of the boom is coupled to the capture head; capturing, by the capture head, the payload; removing, by the boom, any residual relative velocity of the payload relative to the space facility; and moving, by the boom, the captured payload to the space facility.