US 11,999,513 B2
Unmanned spacecraft and method for assembling satellites
Ezinne Uzo-Okoro, Medford, MA (US); and Kerri L. Cahoy, Concord, MA (US)
Assigned to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US)
Filed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US)
Filed on Nov. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/523,656.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/112,136, filed on Nov. 10, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0144460 A1, May 12, 2022
Int. Cl. B64G 4/00 (2006.01); B64G 1/10 (2006.01); B64G 1/24 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B64G 1/22 (2006.01)
CPC B64G 4/00 (2013.01) [B64G 1/10 (2013.01); B64G 1/24 (2013.01); B25J 9/1682 (2013.01); B25J 9/1687 (2013.01); B64G 1/223 (2023.08); B64G 2004/005 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An unmanned spacecraft, comprising:
a housing configured to be deployed in a microgravity environment, the housing having an access point configured to allow access to the microgravity environment, a parts storage area configured to store parts of a satellite, and an assembly platform;
a first robot movably positioned in the housing, the first robot disposed in the housing so as to be able to reach at least some parts of a satellite stored in the parts storage area; and
a controller configured to control the first robot to move to access parts of a satellite from the parts storage area and to assemble parts of a satellite on the assembly platform and to control deployment of an assembled satellite through the access point of the housing to a position in the microgravity environment.