Patent ID: 6969030
Filing Date: 2005-11-29
Classification: B64G

Abstract:
1. A docking mechanism for capturing and coupling a target spacecraft to a servicing spacecraft, the target spacecraft having an Apogee Boost Motor (ABM) or Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM), comprising: a support frame which is attachable to the servicing spacecraft, and at least one elongate berthing post having first and second ends, the berthing posts being attached to the frame at said first ends, the at least one berthing post including a berthing pad attached to the second end thereof for contacting the target spacecraft being docked with the servicing spacecraft; a berthing mechanism attached to the support frame, the berthing mechanism including an extendable stage; a compliance mechanism mounted on the extendable stage of the berthing mechanism; a probe including an elongate flexible shaft having first and second ends, a probe head assembly attached to the first end of the longitudinal flexible shaft and the second end of the longitudinal flexible shaft being attached to an abutment plate, the abutment plate being attached to the compliance mechanism, the probe head assembly including fingers extendable laterally therefrom, the compliance mechanism providing kinetic energy absorption and damping of the docking mechanism during capture and coupling of the two spacecraft together for reducing overshooting and undershooting of the probe with respect to the apogee motor; and wherein during capture and coupling of the target spacecraft to the servicing spacecraft together the servicing spacecraft is positioned behind the thruster of an apogee rocket on the target spacecraft with the extendable stage in the fully extended position, and wherein the probe head assembly is extended into the thruster by movement of the servicing spacecraft and once it has been extended past a throat in the thruster, the fingers are deployed laterally therefrom and the extendable stage of the berthing mechanism is retracted until the berthing pads on the ends of berthing posts contact an interface ring on the target spacecraft.