CPC B64G 1/645 (2013.01) [B64G 1/007 (2013.01); B64G 1/641 (2013.01); B64G 1/226 (2013.01); B64G 1/40 (2013.01); B64G 2001/1092 (2013.01); B64G 2001/643 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
1. A system for securing spacecraft to a rocket and deploying the spacecraft into orbit, comprising:
a stack having a plurality of spacecraft arranged in layers, with each spacecraft being releasably mated with at least one spacecraft in an adjacent layer; and
at least one hold down and deploy assembly extending along a length of the stack and configured to, in a first configuration, secure the layers of the stack together and secure the entire stack to the rocket, and, in a second configuration, release the entire stack from the rocket into orbit such that the layers are free to separate.
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