US 11,702,230 B2
Non-sealing 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. 16/416,100.
Prior Publication US 2020/0361641 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 non-sealing berthing system for a visiting spacecraft, the non-sealing 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 mates with a docking system of a target spacecraft;
sliding hooks disposed circumferentially on the interface surface of the tunnel;
preload members disposed circumferentially at the interface surface of the tunnel;
guide petals spaced around an inner peripheral surface of the tunnel, wherein the guide petals project in an axial direction beyond the interface surface and point radially inward; and
soft capture petals spaced around the inner peripheral surface of the tunnel;
wherein the soft capture petals project in the axial direction beyond the interface surface and point radially inward;
wherein the soft capture petals include capture latches configured to engage mechanical latch strikers on the docking system of the target spacecraft;
wherein the preload members are configured to extend from the interface surface in the axial direction to apply an axial force to separate the non-sealing berthing system from the docking system.