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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7988096 | Space manufacturing module system and method A space based manufacturing system including a control module and a manufacturing module. The manufacturing module contains the tools required for automated processing of materials into finalized components. The control module allows command and control of the manuf... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7748663 | Launch vehicle stage integration device A mating and connection system for securing adjacent stages of a launch vehicle. The system includes a locking flange connected to each of a first vehicle stage and a second vehicle stage. A compression ring is positioned internal to the first and second vehicle sta... | 07/06/2010 |
| 7669802 | Space based orbital kinetic energy weapon system A space based orbital kinetic energy weapon system and method of using same is provided. The space based orbital kinetic energy weapon system includes a satellite having a control system configured to maintain an orbit in outer space around the earth and to deorbit ... | 03/02/2010 |
| 7631839 | Enhanced multiple instrument distributed aperture sensor A multiple instrument distributed aperture sensor (“MIDAS”) science payload system mounted on a spacecraft, including a spacecraft interface ring affixing the MIDAS science payload system to the spacecraft, and a multiple telescope array (“MTA”) further incl... | 12/15/2009 |
| 7478782 | System and method incorporating adaptive and reconfigurable cells A system and method by which specialized components (tenants) are mounted to an assembly comprising a plurality of modular units. Each modular unit has one or more interface connecting locations for one or more of a power connection, a thermal connection and data ba... | 01/20/2009 |
| 7469864 | Method for assemblying and landing a habitable structure on an extraterrestrial body A method for assembling and landing a habitable module on an extraterrestrial mass is claimed. At least one inflatable module and a second module are placed into orbit about an extraterrestrial mass. Connecting nodes, propulsion busses, and landing pads are also pla... | 12/30/2008 |
| 7437224 | Target acquisition control for spacecraft gimballed payload A method and apparatus for controlling a gimbaled platform (108). The method comprises the steps of computing an acquisition phase gimbal angle rate command ωcmd—Acq (530) from a measured LOS angle error... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7403715 | Free space optical bus A free space optical bus system and method are provided for connecting two units of circuitry across a free space gap. A first unit of circuitry includes a multiplexer that combines a plurality of bus signals to obtain an electronic combined signal and a laser that ... | 07/22/2008 |
| 7354020 | System for use of external secondary payloads An experiment system with six different re-entry experiment locations for testing high temperature re-entry materials, creating new thermal protection systems, proving innovative new concepts for spacecraft exterior surfaces and the incremental development of next g... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7341002 | Missile countermeasure device, and methods of using same A countermeasure for luring an incoming hostile missile away from a vehicle is provided. The countermeasure includes a housing, an infrared-emission body containing a sublimation compound in a solid state, a heating source for converting the sublimation compound int... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7309049 | Orbital debris shield An orbital debris shield for protecting the hull of a spacecraft. The shield is comprised of a number of flexible and releasably attached gores that substantially cover the hull. Interleafed between layers of the gores are layers of a spacing material. As debris col... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7302323 | Transportation data recording system The present invention provides a network data recording system particularly adapted for use in transportation systems. Cameras, microphones and a variety of sensors and existing vehicle systems are networked to a central controller, which receives and processes audi... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7302317 | System and method to enhance attitude estimation for transfer orbit maneuver A system and method to enhance attitude estimation for transfer orbit maneuvers of a spinning satellite includes a transfer orbit earth sensor that can receive and convert an infrared radiance to an analog signal. The analog signal is provided to a hardware chord pr... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7280896 | Process and device for constructing a synthetic image of the environment of an aircraft and presenting it on a screen of said aircraft A device for constructing a synthetic image of an aircraft environment may include information sources having information relating to the aircraft and to its environment. An information processor constructs a synthetic image of the environment of the aircraft on the... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7270301 | Surface optical reflector, for space craft such as a geostationary satellite Optical surface reflector, for a spacecraft such as a geostationary satellite. The exterior surface (10) of the reflector comprises a plurality of facets (14) inclined to each other and to the interior surface (12) of the reflector. The f... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7252269 | Asymmetrical low-profile bulkhead An asymmetrical bulkhead for a pressure vessel, tank or other storage facility is disclosed. The bulkhead is configured so that there is a high region extending past a cylindrical portion of the vessel on one side of the bulkhead, with a contour of the bulkhead tran... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7243703 | Flexible heat exchanger The invention generally relates to a flexible heal exchanger comprising a pair of flexible multilayer thermoplastic polyimide films each of which comprises an aromatic polyimide substrate film showing no glass transition temperature or a glass transition temperature... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7225062 | Device for indicating the vibration level of a vehicle A device for indicating at least a first vibration level VIB1 derived from a first acceleration signal γ1 includes: first analysis element FT1 for resolving the first acceleration signal γ1 into a plur... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7204460 | Orbital debris shield An orbital debris shield for protecting the hull of a spacecraft is claimed. The shield is comprised of a number of flexible and releasably attached gores that substantially cover the hull. Interleafed between layers of the gores are layers of a spacing material. As... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7198233 | Reusable orbital vehicle with interchangeable cargo modules A reusable module is affixed atop a reusable orbital vehicle (OV). Various configurations of the reusable module have identical external dimensions in the region of attachment to the OV to permit interchangeability. Different configurations can accommodate a variety... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7195206 | Apparatus and method for servicing and inspecting small free-flying platforms in orbit in space A small, substantially spherical, free-flying utility platform for use in space can be docked, inspected and serviced in an apparatus including a container with a chamber therein mounted on the outside of a space vehicle or space station. A motorized closing mechani... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7168660 | System for capturing and recovering free-flying objects in space Capture devices are mounted on a space platform such as a spacecraft or utility satellite. Each capture device includes a folded capture net stored in a housing, guide weights connected to the net and received in spring-loaded ejection tubes oriented at an acute ang... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7159824 | Device and method for on-orbit calibration verification of an infrared sensor A device for verifying the calibration of an infrared sensor includes a body configured to be placed in orbit. The body defines a spin axis and an outer surface. The outer surface has an infrared radiant intensity that is substantially independent of the viewing ang... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7156348 | Platform and system for propellant tank storage and transfer in space A platform for storage and transfer of propellant tanks in space includes frames configured to releasably support plural propellant tanks in storage positions, and transfer mechanisms configured to transfer propellant tanks to and from the storage positions. The pla... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7142981 | Laser range finder closed-loop pointing technology of relative navigation, attitude determination, pointing and tracking for spacecraft rendezvous A closed-loop LRF pointing technology to measure the range of a target satellite from a chaser satellite for rendezvous is provided that includes: LOS angle measurements of the target, a relative navigation Kalman filter, attitude determination of the visible sensor... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7139567 | Tone based command system for reception of very weak signals This disclosure presents a communication receiver system for spacecraft that includes an open loop receiver adapted to receive a communication signal. An ultrastable oscillator (USO) and a tone detector are connected to the open loop receiver. The open loop receiver... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7124001 | Relative attitude estimator for multi-payload attitude determination A method and apparatus for estimating a slave payload attitude is disclosed. The method includes accepting a plurality of slave payload attitude measurements, deriving a model of the relative attitude of the slave payload and a master payload attitude at least in pa... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7114682 | System and method for transportation and storage of cargo in space A system for transportation and storage of cargo in space includes one or more platforms. The platforms are operable to hold multiple removable propellant tanks and rendezvous with one or more other platforms in space. The platforms also include one or more thruster... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7108228 | Hydrogen-fueled spacecraft A spacecraft having facilities for carrying astronauts and payloads into the earth satellite orbit and space having a composite fiber body with a Kevlar exterior skin. Said craft having a substantially round shape with a portion covered with solar cells. Said solar ... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7107131 | Cross-engine aircraft communication system The invention provides methods, systems, and products for communicating between engine computers without the participation of a flight deck computer. The invention allows the engine computers to coordinate activities for real-time control of the engines for improved... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7089108 | Method and apparatus for entering a flight plan into an aircraft navigation system An apparatus for entering a flight plan into an aircraft navigation system, the apparatus comprising: an acoustic sampler adapted for sampling a microphone signal and generating an acoustic signal; a waypoint identifier adapted for generating an identified waypoint ... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7030576 | Multichannel hall effect thruster A Hall effect thruster for propelling spacecraft and satellites includes at least two acceleration channels, each of the channels has a closed end and an open end, and a plurality of flux guides adjacent each of the channels. The plurality of flux guides includes an... | 04/18/2006 |
| 6695262 | Spacecraft methods and structures for enhanced service-attitude accuracy Methods and structures are provided that enhance the accuracy of the service attitude of an inclined-orbit spacecraft and, thereby, facilitate reduction of service error between a communication service area and the spacecraft's payload beam. The enhanceme... | 02/24/2004 |
| 6679455 | Pointing device and an onboard pointing system To support and point a load on a support element, the pointing device having distinct link arms distributed around the load. Each link arm having a flexible element having a first end connected to the support element via a first hinge having a single degr... | 01/20/2004 |
| 6676087 | Spacecraft methods and structures with beacon-receiving field-of-view matched to beacon station window Methods and structures are provided that enhance the accuracy of the service attitude of an inclined-orbit spacecraft and, thereby, facilitate reduction of service error between a communication service area and the spacecraft's payload beam. The enhanceme... | 01/13/2004 |
| 6675068 | Working robot A working robot is used in space for inspecting the state of a structure of a house module in space or for replacing M/D shields. A robot body is provided with four multifunctional arms (or two moving arms and two multifunctional arms), which are equipped... | 01/06/2004 |
| 6648543 | Device for a space vessel A flange (1) for a space vessel (2), which flange (1) is arranged so as to reduce a shock or impact wave that occurs upon the release of a coupling (5). The coupling (5) is intended to impart a radially inwardly acting force to hold together two separable... | 11/18/2003 |
| 6239767 | Universal communications system for space applications A secondary universal communication system enables dedicated and independent communications capability between space vehicle payload elements and ground based communications networks. The system may either utilize existing communications satellites as an ... | 05/29/2001 |
| 4867395 | Flat end cap module for space transportation systems A module incorporating at least one flat end cap is positioned within the payload of the Space Shuttle or other space vehicle to enhance the capabilities of the payload area. The flat end cap reduces the required volume in the launch vehicle to be occupie... | 09/19/1989 |
| 4854526 | Spacecraft design enabling the compact nesting of multiple spacecraft in the launch vehicle A spacecraft (100) such as a satellite, is shaped roughly in the form of a cup with a hollow inner cavity (106) such that a plurality of such spacecraft may be stowed for launch in a nested stack (204), thereby enabling a greater number of satellites to b... | 08/08/1989 |
