Patent ID: 7861975
Filing Date: 2011-01-04
Classification: B64G

Abstract:
1. A servicing spacecraft for performing multiple client spacecraft servicing missions comprising: a guidance navigation and control system for independent flight operation during a client spacecraft servicing mission, a servicing propulsion system including a servicing propellant tank for holding propellant to be used by the servicing propulsion system for enabling its independent flight operation, a telescoping boom having an adaptor end and extendable from the servicing spacecraft to position said adaptor end in a selected depthwise position relative to a given client spacecraft, a telescoping boom motor for driving the extension and retraction of said telescoping boom along a boom axis, and a universal docking adaptor for docking with a plurality of different client spacecraft to perform multiple client spacecraft servicing missions, wherein said universal docking adaptor comprises a base mounted to said adaptor end of said telescoping boom, an adaptor motor coupled within said base, a plurality of pivotable arms that are linked for uniform swiveling, each of said pivotable arms being pivotably mounted to said base for pivoting in a plane normal to said boom axis and driven to pivot in said normal plane by said adaptor motor, and having a respective arm end, and a plurality of coupling members that extend in a forward direction away from said plane in which said arms pivot, each of said coupling members extending forward from a respective one of said arm ends for a distance greater than the thickness of the respective pivotable arm comprising a respective engagement member whose position is radially adjustable relative to said boom axis of said telescoping boom by pivoting of said respective pivotable arm in said normal plane so that the universal docking adaptor can dock with docking interfaces of client spacecraft of different docking diameters, wherein said engagement members are configured to engage respective portions of an adaptor ring of the docking interface of a client spacecraft at a distance from said plane in which said arms pivot.