Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Satellite refueling
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Application No.: US17092800Application Date: 2020-11-09
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Publication No.: US11623760B2Publication Date: 2023-04-11
- Inventor: Marinus Bernard Bosma
- Applicant: Modern Technology Solutions, Inc.
- Applicant Address: US VA Alexandria
- Assignee: Modern Technology Solutions, Inc.
- Current Assignee: Modern Technology Solutions, Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US VA Alexandria
- Agency: Lamon Patent Services
- Agent Cynthia S. Lamon
- Main IPC: B64D39/06
- IPC: B64D39/06 ; B67D7/04 ; B67D7/40 ; B64C39/02 ; B64D5/00 ; B64D1/06 ; B64D1/22 ; B64D1/16

Abstract:
A satellite refueling system has a refueling satellite carrying fuel, a fuel hose connected to the fuel carried by the refueling satellite, with a maneuverable end effector at a deployed end of the fuel hose, the end effector comprising a fuel supply nozzle connected to the fuel hose, a plurality of thrusters on the end effector providing thrust in a plurality of directions, an imaging device on the end effector capturing images in an immediate environment of the end effector, and computerized circuitry operating individual ones of the plurality of thrusters in response to the images captured by the imaging device. The refueling satellite deploys the fuel hose, and the computerized circuitry operates the thrusters to maneuver the end effector, bringing the fuel supply nozzle to a location to deliver fuel.
Public/Granted literature
- US20210070465A1 SATELLITE REFUELING Public/Granted day:2021-03-11
Information query