US 11,702,229 B2
Berthing system for spacecraft
Raju Dharmaraj, League City, TX (US); and Thomas L. Hoffman, Friendswood, TX (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on May 17, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/416,078.
Prior Publication US 2020/0361640 A1, Nov. 19, 2020
Int. Cl. B64G 1/64 (2006.01); F16B 7/04 (2006.01)
CPC B64G 1/646 (2013.01) [F16B 7/042 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A berthing system for a visiting spacecraft, the berthing system comprising:
a tunnel having a first end configured to attach to the visiting spacecraft, and a second end that includes an interface surface that defines a hard capture mating plane for mating with a docking system of a target spacecraft;
hooks disposed circumferentially on the interface surface of the tunnel;
one or more pressure seals disposed on the interface surface;
spring-loaded guide petals spaced around an inner peripheral surface of the tunnel, wherein the spring-loaded guide petals project in an axial direction beyond the interface surface and point radially inward; and
capture latches spaced around the inner peripheral surface of the tunnel, and configured to engage mechanical latch strikers on the docking system of the target spacecraft;
wherein the spring-loaded guide petals define a soft capture mating plane axially outward from the hard capture mating plane;
wherein the spring-loaded guide petals are configured to independently slide in the axial direction.