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A folding, retractable dome for protecting a feature, such as a docking mechanism, a hatch or other equipment at an exterior surface of a space vehicle, includes a plurality of arcuate ribs, each having opposite ends respectively pinioned at opposite sides of the feature at the surface of the vehicl

A folding, retractable dome for protecting a feature, such as a docking mechanism, a hatch or other equipment at an exterior surface of a space vehicle, includes a plurality of arcuate ribs, each having opposite ends respectively pinioned at opposite sides of the feature at the surface of the vehicle for rotational movement about an axis of rotation extending through the opposite ends and through an arcuate path of revolution extending over the feature, and a flexible cover attached to each of the ribs such that, in a deployed configuration of the dome, in which adjacent ribs are rotated apart from each other at a maximum relative angle therebetween, the cover is stretched generally tangentially between the adjacent ribs to form a generally arcuate shield over the feature, and in a retracted position of the dome, in which adjacent ribs are rotated together at a minimum relative angle therebetween, the cover is collapsed to define folded pleats between the adjacent ribs.

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What is claimed is: 1. A folding retractable covering on a space vehicle for protecting a feature disposed on an exterior surface of the vehicle, wherein the covering comprises: a plurality of semicircular ribs, each having opposite ends respectively pinioned at opposite sides of the feature at abo

What is claimed is: 1. A folding retractable covering on a space vehicle for protecting a feature disposed on an exterior surface of the vehicle, wherein the covering comprises: a plurality of semicircular ribs, each having opposite ends respectively pinioned at opposite sides of the feature at about the exterior surface of the vehicle for rotational movement about an axis of rotation extending through the opposite ends thereof and through a hemispherical path of revolution extending over the feature; a continuous, flexible cover attached to each of the ribs in such a way that, in a fully deployed position of the covering, in which adjacent ribs are rotated apart from each other at a maximum relative angle therebetween, the cover is stretched generally tangentially between the adjacent ribs to form a generally hemispherical shield over the feature, and in a fully retracted position of the covering, in which adjacent ribs are rotated together at a minimum relative angle therebetween, the flexible covering is collapsed to form a plurality of folded pleats of substantially the same size, each disposed between a respective pair of adjacent ribs; an annular bezel disposed on the exterior surface of the vehicle and aligned generally concentrically with the feature; and each rib having an external periphery larger than the external periphery of the feature and smaller than the internal periphery of the bezel. 2. The covering of claim 1, wherein the fibs have respective radii that are substantially the same size. 3. The covering of claim 2, wherein the folded pleats extend radially inward toward the axis of rotation of the ribs when the covering is fully retracted. 4. The covering of claim 1, wherein the ribs have respective radii that are staggered in size such that the ribs are nested in radial alignment with each other when rotated at a common angle relative to the surface of the vehicle. 5. The covering of claim 1, wherein the flexible cover comprises two parts, each defining a portion of the generally hemispherical shield formed over the feature when the covering is fully deployed. 6. The covering of claim 5, wherein an outermost rib of one of the two parts is slightly larger than an outermost rib of the other part such that the two portions of the hemispherical shield overlap circumferentially when the covering is fully deployed. 7. The covering of claim 5, wherein the two parts of the cover mate with each other at a vertical plane extending through the feature when the covering is fully deployed. 8. The covering of claim 7, wherein the plurality comprises an even number, and wherein half of the ribs are disposed on one side of the feature, and the other half are disposed on an opposite side thereof. 9. The covering of claim 1, wherein the ribs and the folded pleats reside below an upper periphery of the bezel when the covering is fully retracted. 10. The covering of claim 1, wherein the flexible cover comprises at least one of a thermal protection blanket and a micrometeoroid and orbital debris resistant barrier. 11. A folding retractable covering on a space vehicle for protecting a feature disposed on an exterior surface of the vehicle, wherein the covering comprises: a plurality of arcuate ribs, each having opposite ends respectively pinioned at opposite sides of the feature at about the surface of the vehicle for rotational movement of the rib about an axis extending through the opposite ends and through an arcuate path of revolution extending over the feature; a continuous, flexible cover attached to each of the ribs in such a way that, in a fully deployed position of the covering, in which adjacent ribs are rotated apart from each other at a maximum relative angle therebetween, the cover is stretched generally tangentially between the adjacent ribs to form an arcuate shield over the feature, and in a fully retracted position of the covering, in which adjacent ribs are rotated together at a minimum relative angle therebetween, the flexible cover is collapsed to form a plurality of folded pleats of substantially the same size, each disposed between a respective pair of adjacent ribs; a bezel disposed on the exterior surface of the vehicle and aligned generally concentrically with the feature; and each rib having an external periphery larger than the external periphery of the feature and smaller than the internal periphery of the bezel. 12. The covering of claim 11, wherein the ribs are substantially the same size. 13. The covering of claim 11, wherein the ribs are staggered in size such that the ribs are nested in radial alignment with each other when rotated at a common angle relative to the surface of the vehicle. 14. The covering of claim 11, wherein the flexible cover comprises two parts, each defining a portion of the arcuate shield formed over the feature when the covering is fully deployed. 15. The covering of claim 14, wherein the two parts of the flexible cover mate with each other at a vertical plane extending through the feature when the covering is fully deployed. 16. The covering of claim 15, wherein the plurality comprises an even number, and wherein half of the ribs are disposed on one side of the feature, and the other half are disposed on an opposite side thereof. 17. The covering of claim 14, wherein an outermost rib of one of the two parts is slightly larger than an outermost rib of the other part such that the two portions of the arcuate shield overlap circumferentially when the covering is fully deployed. 18. The covering of claim 11, wherein the ribs and the folded pleats reside below an upper periphery of the bezel when the covering is fully retracted. 19. The covering of claim 11, wherein the flexible cover comprises at least one of a thermal protection blanket and a micrometeoroid and orbital debris resistant barrier. 20. The covering of claim 11, wherein the ribs are generally semicircular in shape. 21. A method for protecting a feature disposed on an exterior surface of a space vehicle, the method comprising: disposing a protective bezel on the exterior surface of the space vehicle and aligned generally concentrically with the feature; attaching opposite ends of a plurality of generally arcuate ribs to respective ones of a pair of pivot points respectively disposed on opposite sides of the feature, each rib having an external periphery larger than the external periphery of the feature and smaller than the internal periphery of the bezel; attaching a flexible cover to each of the ribs; and, pivoting the ribs about the pivot points such that, in a closed position, the ribs stretch the cover into a generally arcuate protective covering over the feature, and in an open position, the ribs fold the cover into a plurality of pleats of substantially the same size, each disposed between a respective pair of adjacent ribs, and the ribs nest in radial alignment with each other at the exterior surface of the space vehicle. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein attaching the ribs to the pivot points comprises: providing two groups of the ribs, each covered by a portion of the flexible cover; and, attaching the opposite ends of the respective ribs of the two groups to respective ones of two pairs of pivot points respectively disposed on opposite sides of the feature such that, a rib of each group engages a rib of the other group at a plane extending through the feature when the ribs are in the closed position, and the ribs of each group respectively nest in radial alignment with each other at the surface of the vehicle and on opposite sides of the feature when the ribs are in the open position. 23. The covering of claim 1, wherein the folded pleats extend in a circumferential direction when the covering is fully retracted. 24. The method of claim 21, wherein the ribs and the folded pleats reside below an upper periphery of the bezel when the covering is fully retracted.