RU2686563C1 - Spacecraft-evacuator - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: astronautics.SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the space equipment. Spacecraft-evacuator includes housing, control and power supply system devices, propulsion unit, electromechanical system of spacecraft capture in orbit. On the housing there are at least two optical chambers, a range finder, an unfolding bar, a drum with a cable fixed on the drum with possibility of movement along the rod. Free end of the cable is equipped with a detachable device for gripping in orbit of the spacecraft in the form of a latch or manipulator. Drum is made with possibility of reversible rotation, rope is made in the form of a set of power, energy and information cables. Grip device is fixed on the rod by electromechanical lock and made as controlled by cable.EFFECT: creation of spacecraft-evacuation device of spent satellites of simplified design, which enables to carry out operations of capture of large space objects.1 cl, 6 dwg

Description

The invention relates to space technology cleaning near-Earth space from large objects, in particular to the design of spacecraft (SV) - evacuators designed to remove from the working orbit of spent satellites.

A device is known (patent RU 2601522) of a spacecraft servicing (CAO) in orbit of an automatic spacecraft, also intended for information from the orbit of a spacecraft that cannot be restored. A rotary platform is placed on the KAO housing, on which is placed the manipulator for capturing the automatic spacecraft to be restored or withdrawn. Capturing the spacecraft with a manipulator is carried out after combining the longitudinal axes of the spacecraft and the CAO, twisting the CAO rotary platform (coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the CAO) to the speed of rotation of the spacecraft. The disadvantage of this device is the complexity of the design of the capture system, justified only by the presence of an additional function of the CAO - orbital repair.

The closest analogue is the spacecraft evacuator spacecraft (CAE) device described in US 7,207,525. On the body of such a spacecraft there are several modules connected by cables to the spacecraft and equipped with its own propulsion system, three-finger pickup on a telescopic rod, a camera and a distance sensor. The modules can be detached from the evacuator KA, autonomously fly up to the satellite removed from orbit, capture it, and be attracted back to the Evacuator KA. The disadvantages of the closest analogue are the complexity of the capture device (each module is actually a separate spacecraft), as well as the impossibility of the structure to work in the case of rotation of the capture objects.

The technical result of the present invention is the creation of a relatively simple device of a spacecraft-evacuator of spent satellites, which allows for the capture of large space objects taking into account their rotation and descent from the working orbit.

The technical result is achieved by the fact that the spacecraft-tow truck, comprising a housing, control and power supply devices, a propulsion system, an electromechanical system for capturing a spacecraft in orbit, has at least two optical cameras on the body, a range finder, a deployable rod, a drum with a cable, mounted on the drum with the ability to move along the rod, while the free end of the cable is provided with a removable device for capturing the orbit of the spacecraft in the form of a latch or handle ora, the drum is arranged to reverse the rotation, and the cable is configured as a set of power, power and data cables, the capture device is mounted on a rod and an electromechanical lock holds controlled by cable.

The layout of the KAE device is shown in FIG. 1, fig. 2, the principle of operation is in FIG. 3. Accepted designations:

1 - spacecraft to be removed;

2 - towing spacecraft;

3 - propulsion system;

4 - bar;

5 - low-resolution optical camera (overview);

6 - high resolution optical camera (detailed);

7 - range finder;

8 - the lock;

9 - cable;

10 - capture device;

11 - drum.

The device operates as follows. The evacuator KA (Fig. 3a, pos. 2) is put into orbit, on which the spacecraft intended to evacuate is located (Fig. 3a, pos. 1). Using the propulsion system of the spacecraft-tow truck (Fig. 1, pos. 3) according to the survey camera (Fig. 2, pos. 5), the CAE is approached from the spacecraft to a distance of several hundred meters. Using a range finder (Fig. 2, pos. 7) determine the relative distance between the KAE and KA, equalize their speed.

Next, the observation of the spacecraft by a detailed camera (Fig. 2, pos. 6) is carried out to calculate the parameters of its rotation and to find the most suitable place (it can be the solar cell frame or antenna bracket) for the KAE capture device to pick up (Fig. 2, pos. 10) . The control commands can be generated by the onboard control system of the AEC or by ground-based facilities.

Using the propulsion system of small thrust (not shown in Fig.), The necessary CAE orientation relative to the CA is performed and the CAE is twisted until the relative angular velocity is minimized.

Then carry out the opening (folding or extension) of the rod (Fig. 1, pos. 4). At the end of the rod is fixed using an electromechanical lock (Fig. 1, POS. 8), for example, an electromagnetic type, a gripping device (Fig. 1, POS. 10) to which a cable is attached (Fig. 1, POS. 9), unwind from the drum (Fig. 1, POS. 11) when unfolding or extending the rod. In preparation for the launch of the AEC, the capture device is chosen from a set depending on the design features of the spacecraft intended for removal, its mass and orbital parameters. The gripping device can be made in the form of a latch or a manipulator, which is distinguished by a greater number of degrees of freedom.

After the boom is fully opened, the AECs approach the KA, while the boom is oriented towards the KA (Fig. 3b). The convergence is carried out with the control of the relative position and speed using the detailed camera (Fig. 2, pos. 6) and a rangefinder (Fig. 2, pos. 7).

At the estimated time point, a spacecraft is captured in a certain place (Fig. 3c). Next, the lock is opened (Fig. 1, pos. 8), and the gripping device (Fig. 1, pos. 10) is disconnected from the rod, freeing the cable (Fig. 1, pos. 9).

The implementation of the cable with the ability to move, including rotation along the rod provides the CAE from dynamic impacts and disturbing moments from the side of the spacecraft after the lock is opened. To control the device to capture the cable is made difficult - in the composition of both power cables, and energy and information.

Next, include the low thrust engines of the AEC to ensure the tension of the cable, which is unwound from the drum for a length, for example, twice the length of the rod (Fig. 3d). A drum reverse device warns of dynamic shocks and cable breaks. After that, the main propulsion system (Fig. 1, pos. 3) is turned on and the KAE-KA ligament is removed from the working orbit.

In order to unify and reduce the cost of production of the KAE, the main propulsion system can be made as a set of solid fuel modules, the number of which is chosen before the KAE launch, when designing the KAE, depending on the mass and height of the KA orbit.

The use of the invention allows to simplify the design of the AEC and, as a result, to improve the economic efficiency of the work on cleaning the near-Earth space from anthropogenic debris.

Claims (1)

Evacuator spacecraft, comprising a housing, control and power supply devices, a propulsion system, an electromechanical system for capturing a spacecraft in orbit, characterized in that there are at least two optical cameras on the body, a range finder, a deployable rod, a drum with a cable attached to the drum can be moved along the rod, while the free end of the cable is provided with a removable device for capturing the spacecraft in orbit in the form of a latch or manipulator, the drum is made with the ozhnostyu reverse rotation, and the cable is configured as a set of power, power and data cables, the capture device is mounted on a rod and an electromechanical lock holds controlled by cable.

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