SG11201909540QA - Electrostatic discharge mitigation for a first spacecraft operating in proximity to a second spacecraft and related methods - Google Patents

Abstract

WO 18/1909 43 Al (12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau (43) International Publication Date 18 October 2018 (18.10.2018) WIPO I PCT omit VIII °nolo VIII mil ono oimIE (10) International Publication Number WO 2018/190943 Al (51) International Patent Classification: B64G 1/52 (2006.01) B64G ///0 (2006.01) B64G 1/64 (2006.01) (21) International Application Number: PCT/US2018/017852 (22) International Filing Date: 12 February 2018 (12.02.2018) (25) Filing Language: English (26) Publication Language: English (30) Priority Data: 62/484,969 13 April 2017 (13.04.2017) US 15/829,758 01 December 2017 (01.12.2017) US (71) Applicant: ORBITAL ATK, INC. [US/US]; 4700 Nathan Lane, Plymouth, MN 55442 (US). (72) Inventors: AGATHON-BURTON, Christina; 9406 Lin- den Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814 (US). MICHEL, Matthew, Alan; 13602 Old Dairy Road, Oak Hill, VA 20171 (US). COCHRAN, Dewey, Edwin; 5205 25TH RD N, Arlington, VA 22207 (US). GRAHAM, Ronald, Lynn; 3012 Rayjohn Ln, Herndon, VA 20171 (US). HERBERT, Gregg, A.; 15546 Waterford Run Court, Waterford, VA 20197 (US). LLORENS, William, A.; 412 Madison Forest Dr., Hern- don, VA 20170 (US). (74) Agent: BAKER, Gregory, C. et al.; P.O. Box 2550, Salt Lake City, UT 84110 (US). (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BN, BR, BW, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DJ, DK, DM, DO, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IR, IS, JO, JP, KE, KG, KH, KN, KP, KR, KW, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, OM, PA, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, RU, RW, SA, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW. (84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, ST, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, RU, TJ, TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, SM, (54) Title: ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE MITIGATION FOR A FIRST SPACECRAFT OPERATING IN PROXIMITY TO A SECOND SPACECRAFT AND RELATED METHODS 11 (57) : Methods and systems for mitigating or reducing the risk of an electro- static discharge due to static charge differentials between a first spacecraft (10) and a second spacecraft (11) as the first spacecraft approaches the second spacecraft may be accomplished using a passive electrostatic discharge mitigation device (20). In some embodiments, mitigation of static potential between the first spacecraft and the sec- ond spacecraft may be actively accomplished by an electric propulsion system (31) provided on the first spacecraft. In some embodiments, mitigation may be provided by both actively and passively mitigating static potential between the first spacecraft and the second spacecraft. 10 FIG. 1 [Continued on next page] WO 2018/190943 Al MIDEDIMOMOIDEIREEMOMOHMONIMOIMIDOMEHMIE TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW, KM, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). Declarations under Rule 4.17: as to applicant's entitlement to apply for and be granted a patent (Rule 4.17(11)) as to the applicant's entitlement to claim the priority of the earlier application (Rule 4.17(iii)) Published: — with international search report (Art. 21(3))