Reusable resupply systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9914550-B1
Application number	US-201514951214-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 24, 2015
Priority date	Dec 1, 2014
Publication date	Mar 13, 2018
Grant date	Mar 13, 2018

Abstract

A multi-use resupply system for a space-based platform may include a multi-use tug to swap old and new cargo containers on a launch vehicle upper stage. The system can rely on the launch vehicle upper stage to provide the function of cargo de-orbit and disposal. The launch vehicle upper stage may be provided with sufficient propellant and propulsion functionality to operate for a long enough period in space to maneuver a new cargo container to a rendezvous trajectory, support the swapping of cargo containers, and then perform a de-orbit burn with the old cargo container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-use tug, comprising:
first attachment features configured for coupling a first cargo container at a first attachment location;
second attachment features configured for coupling a second cargo container at a second attachment location; and
a grappling arm configured to capture the second cargo container and an attached launch vehicle upper stage, position the second cargo container for coupling to the second attachment features, and move the launch vehicle upper stage from the second cargo container to the first cargo container while the first cargo container is coupled to the first attachment features and the second cargo container is coupled to the second attachment features during space-based operations of the multi-use tug.

2. The multi-use tug of claim 1 , further comprising guidance and propulsion systems configured to maneuver the second cargo container to a space-based platform following a release, with the grappling arm, of the first cargo container and the launch vehicle upper stage.

3. The multi-use tug of claim 2 , wherein the grappling arm is configured to capture the second cargo container and the attached launch vehicle upper stage at a delivery orbit of the second cargo container and the attached launch vehicle upper stage, and wherein the guidance and propulsion systems are configured to maneuver the second cargo container from the delivery orbit to a platform orbit of the space-based platform.

4. The multi-use tug of claim 3 , wherein the space-based platform is a manned space station.

5. The multi-use tug of claim 4 , wherein the first cargo container contains waste items from the manned space station and wherein the second cargo container contains supply items for the manned space station.

6. The multi-use tug of claim 3 , wherein the grappling arm is further configured to reposition the first cargo container from a first orientation at the first attachment location to a second orientation at the first attachment location prior to moving the launch vehicle upper stage from the second cargo container to the first cargo container.

7. The multi-use tug of claim 6 , wherein the first orientation is substantially perpendicular to an orientation of the second cargo container, and wherein the second orientation is substantially parallel to the orientation of the second cargo container.

8. The multi-use tug of claim 7 , wherein the grappling arm is further configured to move the second cargo container from the second attachment location to the first attachment location before the guidance and propulsion systems maneuver the second cargo container to the space-based platform.

9. The multi-use tug of claim 3 , wherein the guidance and propulsion systems are configured to maneuver the first cargo container from the space-based platform to a loiter orbit and to maintain the first cargo container at the loiter orbit until a launch time of a launch, to the delivery orbit, of the second cargo container and the attached launch vehicle upper stage.

10. The multi-use tug of claim 9 , wherein the guidance and propulsion systems are configured to maneuver the first cargo container from the loiter orbit to a staging orbit at or near the launch time of the launch, to the delivery orbit, of the second cargo container and the attached launch vehicle upper stage.

11. The multi-use tug of claim 10 , wherein the loiter orbit is higher than the platform orbit, wherein the platform orbit is higher than the staging orbit, and wherein the staging orbit is higher than the delivery orbit.

12. A method, comprising:
maneuvering, with a multi-use tug, a first cargo container from a space-based platform to a delivery orbit;
maneuvering, with a launch vehicle upper stage, a second cargo container to the delivery orbit;
swapping, with a grappling arm of the multi-use tug, the launch vehicle upper stage from the second cargo container to the first cargo container;
de-orbiting the first cargo container with the launch vehicle upper stage; and
maneuvering, with the multi-use tug, the second cargo container from the delivery orbit to the space-based platform.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising, prior to maneuvering, with the multi-use tug, the first cargo container from the space-based platform to the delivery orbit:
maneuvering, with the multi-use tug, the first cargo container from an additional delivery orbit to the space-based platform;
maneuvering, with the multi-use tug, the first cargo container from the space-based platform to a loiter orbit; and
maintaining the first cargo container at the loiter orbit until a launch of the second cargo container and the launch vehicle upper stage.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising, after maneuvering, with the multi-use tug, the second cargo container from the delivery orbit to the space-based platform, maneuvering the second cargo container from the space-based platform to the loiter orbit.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising, prior to maneuvering, with the multi-use tug, the first cargo container from the space-based platform to the loiter orbit:
moving cargo from the first cargo container to the space-based platform; and
moving waste items from the space-based platform to the first cargo container.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein swapping, with the grappling arm of the multi-use tug, the launch vehicle upper stage from the second cargo container to the first cargo container comprises:
attaching the second cargo container to the multi-use tug while the first cargo container is attached to the multi-use tug; and
moving, with the grappling arm, the launch vehicle upper stage from the second cargo container to the first cargo container while the first cargo container and the second cargo container are attached to the multi-use tug.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein swapping, with the grappling arm of the multi-use tug, the launch vehicle upper stage from the second cargo container to the first cargo container further comprises reorienting the first cargo container prior to moving the launch vehicle upper stage.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein de-orbiting the first cargo container with the launch vehicle upper stage comprises performing a de-orbit burn with the launch vehicle upper stage while the first cargo container is attached to the launch vehicle upper stage.

Assignees

• Lockheed Corp

Inventors

• Price Robert Stephen
• Hines Larry Raymond
• Ringelberg John Charles

Classifications

• B64G1/10 Primary

  Artificial satellites; Systems of such satellites; Interplanetary vehicles (space shuttles B64G1/14) · CPC title

• B64G1/12

  manned · CPC title

• B64G1/645

  Separators · CPC title

• B64G1/646

  Docking or rendezvous systems (refuelling in space B64G1/4024) · CPC title

• B64G1/6462

  characterised by the means for engaging other vehicles · CPC title