US 11,718,420 B2
Spacecraft servicing devices and related assemblies, systems, and methods
James Garret Nicholson, Broadlands, VA (US); Daniel Carl Treachler, Leesburg, VA (US); Oliver Benjamin Ortiz, Beltsville, MD (US); Robert Bryan Sullivan, Chantilly, VA (US); Carlos Guillermo Niederstrasser, Reston, VA (US); Michael Joseph Glogowski, Leesburg, VA (US); William A. Llorens, Herndon, VA (US); Kenneth Siu-Kin Chow, Great Falls, VA (US); and Peter Michael Cipollo, Arlington, VA (US)
Assigned to Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, Falls Church, VA (US)
Filed by Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, Falls Church, VA (US)
Filed on Apr. 13, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/229,812.
Application 17/229,812 is a continuation of application No. 16/041,690, filed on Jul. 20, 2018, granted, now 10,994,867.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/535,747, filed on Jul. 21, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0237909 A1, Aug. 5, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B64G 1/10 (2006.01); B64G 1/00 (2006.01); B64G 1/40 (2006.01); B64G 1/64 (2006.01)
CPC B64G 1/1078 (2013.01) [B64G 1/007 (2013.01); B64G 1/40 (2013.01); B64G 1/402 (2013.01); B64G 1/646 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A spacecraft servicing device, comprising:
a body;
a propulsion system coupled to the body; and
a pod positioning mechanism coupled to the body, the spacecraft servicing device configured to retrieve at least one mission extension pod comprising at least one spacecraft servicing component with the pod positioning mechanism at a location in space and to transport the at least one mission extension pod from the location in space using the propulsion system of the spacecraft servicing device to a second location in proximity to a target spacecraft, the pod positioning mechanism configured to transfer the at least one mission extension pod to the target spacecraft at the second location where the at least one mission extension pod is coupled to the target spacecraft in order to service the target spacecraft with the at least one spacecraft servicing component of the at least one mission extension pod, the spacecraft servicing device configured to remain in at least partial physical contact with the at least one mission extension pod until the at least one mission extension pod is coupled to the target spacecraft, the spacecraft servicing device configured to cease physical contact with the at least one mission extension pod after the at least one mission extension pod is coupled to the target spacecraft, wherein the spacecraft servicing device is configured to transfer the at least one mission extension pod to the target spacecraft using only the propulsion system of the spacecraft servicing device.