Satellite dispenser and method of supporting a plurality of satellites

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11345489-B2
Application number	US-201916543758-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2019
Priority date	Aug 19, 2019
Publication date	May 31, 2022
Grant date	May 31, 2022

Abstract

A satellite dispenser includes a central tubular structure. The satellite dispenser also includes a plurality of satellites arranged around the central tubular structure. The satellite dispenser further includes a plurality of shear connectors coupling the central tubular structure and the plurality of satellites arranged together in shear continuity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A satellite dispenser, comprising:
a central tubular structure;
a plurality of satellites arranged around the central tubular structure; and
a plurality of shear connectors coupling the central tubular structure and the plurality of satellites together in shear continuity, each one of the plurality of shear connectors comprising:
a connector first portion coupled to the central tubular structure;
a connector second portion coupled to one of the plurality of satellites;
a shear pin that couples the connector first portion and the connector second portion together in shear; and
a releasable fastener that couples the connector first portion and the connector second portion together and that is configured to selectively separate the connector second portion from the connector first portion in response to a command signal,

wherein:
the connector first portion comprises a first aperture;
the connector second portion comprises a second aperture;
the shear pin comprises a pin first portion having a cylindrical surface and a pin second portion having a frustoconical surface;
a largest diameter of the frustoconical surface is greater than a diameter of the cylindrical surface;
the pin first portion is received by one of the first aperture or the second aperture; and
the pin second portion is received by another one of the first aperture or the second aperture.

2. The satellite dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the connector first portion and the connector second portion each one of the plurality of shear connectors is separable to selectively release the plurality of satellites from the central tubular structure.

3. The satellite dispenser of claim 1 , wherein:
the central tubular structure comprises a plurality of frame members and a skin, coupled to the plurality of frame members; and
each one of the plurality of shear connectors couples one of the plurality of satellites to one of the plurality of frame members.

4. The satellite dispenser of claim 3 , wherein:
each one of the plurality of satellites comprises a plurality of bulkheads; and
each one of the plurality of shear connectors couples one of the plurality of bulkheads to one of the plurality of frame members.

5. The satellite dispenser of claim 4 , wherein:
the connector first portion is coupled to one of the plurality of frame members;
the connector second portion is coupled to one of the plurality of bulkheads; and
the connector second portion is selectively separable from the connector first portion along a plane of separation.

6. The satellite dispenser of claim 1 , wherein:
the connector first portion comprises a plurality of first apertures;
the connector second portion comprises a plurality of second apertures; and
each one of the plurality of shear connectors comprises a plurality of shear pins;
the pin first portion of each one of the plurality of shear pins is received by one of the plurality of first apertures; and
the pin second portion of each one of the plurality of shear pins is received by one of the plurality of second apertures.

7. The satellite dispenser of claim 1 , wherein:
the pin first portion of the shear pin is received by the one of the first aperture or the second aperture via a transition fit or an interference fit; and
the pin second portion of the shear pin is received by the another one of the first aperture or the second aperture via a transition fit or an interference fit.

8. The satellite dispenser of claim 4 , wherein sets of the plurality of shear connectors couple each one of the plurality of bulkheads to a corresponding one of the plurality of frame members.

9. The satellite dispenser of claim 8 , wherein:
the plurality of bulkheads of each one of the plurality of satellites comprises:
a first closeout bulkhead;
a second closeout bulkhead, opposite to the first closeout bulkhead; and
an interior bulkhead located between the first closeout bulkhead and the second closeout bulkhead; and

a first one of the sets of the plurality of shear connectors couples the first closeout bulkhead to a first one of the plurality of frame members;
a second one of the sets of the plurality of shear connectors couples the second closeout bulkhead to a second one of the plurality of frame members; and
a third one of the sets of the plurality of shear connectors couples the interior bulkhead to a third one of the plurality of frame members.

10. The satellite dispenser of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of frame members is located on an interior of the central tubular structure.

11. The satellite dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising a fitting coupled to the central tubular structure, wherein the fitting is configured to interface with a launch vehicle.

12. A spacecraft, comprising:
a launch vehicle; and
a satellite dispenser coupled to the launch vehicle, wherein the satellite dispenser comprises:
a central tubular structure;
a plurality of satellites arranged around the central tubular structure; and
a plurality of shear connectors coupling the central tubular structure and the plurality of satellites together in shear continuity, each one of the plurality of shear connectors comprising:
a connector first portion coupled to the central tubular structure;
a connector second portion coupled to one of the plurality of satellites;
a shear pin that couples the connector first portion and the connector second portion together in shear; and
a releasable fastener that couples the connector first portion and the connector second portion together and that is configured to selectively separate the connector second portion from the connector first portion in response to a command,

wherein:
the connector first portion comprises a first aperture;
the connector second portion comprises a second aperture;
the shear pin comprises a pin first portion having a cylindrical surface and a pin second portion having a frustoconical surface;
a largest diameter of the frustoconical surface is greater than a diameter of the cylindrical surface;
the pin first portion is received by one of the first aperture or the second aperture;
the pin second portion is received by another one of the first aperture or the second aperture
the connector first portion and the connector second portion of each one of the plurality of shear connectors is separable to selectively release the plurality of satellites from the central tubular structure.

13. The spacecraft of claim 12 , wherein:
the central tubular structure has a longitudinal axis and comprises:
a plurality of frame members extending along the longitudinal axis; and
a skin coupled to the plurality of frame members;
each one of the plurality of satellites comprises:
a plurality of bulkheads; and
an external shell, coupled to the plurality of bulkheads; and

each one of the plurality of shear connectors couples one of the plurality of bulkheads to one of the plurality of frame members.

14. The spacecraft of claim 13 , wherein a set of the plurality of shear connectors couples each one of the plurality of bulkheads to a corresponding one of the plurality of frame members.

15. The spacecraft of claim 13 , wherein:
the connector first portion is coupled to one of the plurality of frame members; and
the connector second portion is coupled to one of the plurality of bulkheads; and
the connector second portion is selectively separable from the connector first portion along a plane of separation.

16. A method of supporting a plurality of satellites, the method comprising steps of:
arranging the

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Aston Richard W
• Sharma Arjun K

Classifications

• B64G1/1085 Primary

  Swarms and constellations · CPC title

• B64G1/644

  arranged for independent deployment · CPC title

• B64G1/643 Primary

  for arranging multiple satellites in a single launcher · CPC title

• B64G2001/643

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64G1/641 Primary

  Interstage or payload connectors (docking systems B64G1/646) · CPC title