Patent ID: 7216834

Claim:
A method of operating a nuclear powered vehicle in orbit comprising the steps of: providing said nuclear powered vehicle in orbit with a radiation shield ( 20 ) for protecting a detachable payload ( 15 ); providing said nuclear powered vehicle with a grasping means ( 14 ) extending outwardly therefrom at one end for docking and interacting with a plurality of other satellites; said grasping means ( 14 ) being configured for multiple use and for interacting with a plurality of different objects; said grasping means ( 14 ) including a plurality of segments; configuring said plurality of segments to partially surround one of said plurality of different objects and to engage and to grasp said object without the need for any preconfigured docking interface on said object; and providing controlled kinetic energy; said controlled kinetic energy for interacting with a plurality of other satellites.