초록 ▼

Herein is disclosed a propellant transfer system and method for refueling on-orbit spacecraft. The system and method are configured to allow for resupply of spacecraft configured to be fueled by either a bipropellant (oxidizer and fuel) or a monopropellant (typically hydrazine). The system and metho

Herein is disclosed a propellant transfer system and method for refueling on-orbit spacecraft. The system and method are configured to allow for resupply of spacecraft configured to be fueled by either a bipropellant (oxidizer and fuel) or a monopropellant (typically hydrazine). The system and method are particularly suited for resupply of satellites not originally prepared for refueling as well but the system may also be used for as satellites specifically designed for refueling.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system mounted on a servicer spacecraft for transferring fluid to a client satellite, the client satellite including at least one storage tank having at least a first fluid transfer coupling, comprising: a) a fluid storage and routing system for storing and routing fluid from said servicing spa

1. A system mounted on a servicer spacecraft for transferring fluid to a client satellite, the client satellite including at least one storage tank having at least a first fluid transfer coupling, comprising: a) a fluid storage and routing system for storing and routing fluid from said servicing spacecraft to the at least one storage tank on the client satellite, said storage and routing system including at least one pressurized tank containing a pressurized gas, at least one fluid storage tank, and an associated fluid transfer coupling,first and second flow paths connecting said at least one fluid storage tank, said at least one pressurized gas tank and said associated fluid transfer coupling; andb) a flow control system configured for detecting and adjusting pressure and flow rate of said gas and fluid through said first and second flow paths,detecting pressure in the at least one storage tank on the client satellite once said associated fluid transfer coupling is coupled to the fluid transfer coupling on the client satellite,transferring fluid from said fluid tank, using pressurized gas from said pressurized gas tank, to said at least one storage tank on the client satellite via said first flow path at a pressure less than or equal to a pressure of the at least one pressurized gas tank, or via said second flow path at a pressure greater than a pressure of the at least one pressurized gas tank. 2. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a command and control system interfaced with said flow control system, said command and control system being configured to regulate pressure and flow rate of fluid between said at least one fluid storage tank and the at least one storage tank on the client satellite based on a detected pressure of the least one storage tank on the client satellite. 3. The system according to claim 2 further comprising a communication system configured to provide communication between said command and control system and a remote operator for remote teleoperator control, supervised autonomous control, or fully autonomous control of fluid transfer operations between the servicer spacecraft and the client satellite. 4. The system according to claim 3 further comprising a vision system mounted and configured to provide real time images of all fluid transfer operations, said vision system being connected to said communication system for transmitting said images to a teleoperator during teleoperation. 5. The system according to claim 3 further comprising a vision system mounted and configured to provide real time images of all fluid transfer operations, said vision system being connected to said communication system for transmitting said images and being configured to be used in an autonomous control system. 6. The system according to claim 1 wherein said at least a first fluid transfer coupling includes at least one fill/drain valve, and further including a backup fill/drain valve configured to be mated to said at least one fill/drain. 7. A system mounted on a servicer spacecraft for transferring fluid to a client satellite, the client satellite including at least one storage tank having at least a first fluid transfer coupling, comprising: a) means for storing and routing fluid from said servicing spacecraft to the at least one storage tank on the client satellite; andb) means for controlling flow of gas and fluid, said means for controlling flow of gas and fluid configured for detecting and adjusting pressure and flow rate of said gas and fluid through said first and second flow paths,detecting pressure in the at least one storage tank on the client satellite once said associated fluid transfer coupling is coupled to the fluid transfer coupling on the client satellite,transferring fluid from said fluid tank to said least one storage tank on the client satellite using the pressurized gas via said first flow path at a pressure less than or equal to a pressure of the at least one pressurized gas tank, orvia said second flow path at a pressure greater than a pressure of the at least one pressurized gas tank. 8. The system according to claim 7 wherein said means for storing and routing fluid includes at least one pressurized tank containing a pressurized gas, at least one fluid storage tank, and an associated fluid transfer coupling, first and second flow paths connecting said at least one fluid storage tank, said at least one pressurized gas tank and said associated fluid transfer coupling. 9. The system according to claim 7 further comprising means for command and control interfaced with said means for controlling flow of gas and fluid, said means for command and control system being configured to regulate pressure and flow rate of fluid between said at least one fluid storage tank and the at least one storage tank on the client satellite based on a detected pressure of the least one storage tank on the client satellite. 10. The system according to claim 9 further comprising a means for communication for providing communication between said means for command and control and a remote operator for remote teleoperator control, or a mixture of teleoperator control and supervised autonomy control, or fully autonomous control of fluid transfer operations between the servicer spacecraft and the client satellite. 11. The system according to claim 8 further comprising means for viewing all fluid transfer operations and being connected to said communication system for transmitting images to a teleoperator during teleoperation. 12. The system according to claim 11 wherein said means for viewing includes one or more optical cameras mounted one or more fields of view encompassing a zone in which fluid transfer from the servicer satellite to the client satellite is visible. 13. A propellant transfer system for transferring propellant between a servicer spacecraft and a client satellite, the client satellite having a client satellite propellant tank and a propellant tank fill/drain valve, comprising: a) at least one propellant transfer subsystem mounted on the servicer spacecraft, each of said at least one propellant transfer system including at least one pressurized tank containing a pressurized gas, at least one propellant storage tank, said at least one propellant storage tank and said at least one pressurized gas tank being in flow communication with each other through a routing tube system;b) a flow control system integrated with said routing tube system, said flow control system configured for detecting and adjusting pressure and flow rate of said pressurized gas and propellant, anddetecting pressure in the client satellite propellant storage tank once the propellant transfer subsystem is coupled to the client satellite and the fill/drain valve on the client satellite propellant tank is open,c) a command and control system interfaced with the flow control system of each of said at least one propellant transfer subsystem, said command and control system being configured to regulate pressure and flow rate of propellant between each of said at least one propellant transfer subsystem and the client satellite propellant tank based on a detected pressure of the client satellite propellant tank; andd) a communication system configured to provide communication between said command and control system and a remote operator for remote teleoperator control, or a mixture of teleoperator control and supervised autonomy control, or fully autonomous control of propellant transfer operations between the servicer spacecraft and the client satellite. 14. The propellant transfer system according to claim 13 wherein said command and control system includes a computer control system mounted on the servicer spacecraft interfaced with the flow control system of each of said at least one propellant transfer subsystem, said computer control system being configured, and programmed with instructions, to regulate pressure and flow rate of propellant between each propellant transfer subsystem and the client satellite propellant tank based on a detected pressure of the client satellite propellant tank. 15. The propellant transfer system according to claim 13 wherein said flow control system is configured for bi-directional transfer of propellant between said servicer spacecraft and said client satellite. 16. The propellant transfer system according to claim 13 including a backup fill/drain valve configured to be mated to said propellant fill/drain valve located on a client satellite. 17. The fluid transfer system according to claim 13 wherein said flow control system includes a plurality of valves, leak detectors, pressure sensors, gas pressure regulators, temperature sensors flow sensors and meters interfaced with said computer control system and stationed in strategic locations in said routing tube system. 18. The fluid transfer system according to claim 12 wherein said flow control system is configured for monitoring pressure over periods of time in said routing tube system. 19. The fluid transfer system according to claim 18 wherein the periods of time include periods of time both before and after opening the client satellite fill/drain valve, and before and after transferring propellant to the client satellite. 20. The propellant transfer system according to claim 13 wherein said command and control system is programmed with instructions such that upon detection of a pressure in the client satellite propellant tank that is lower than that of the servicer spacecraft's propellant storage tank, it commands said at least one propellant transfer system to provide regulated pressure and flow rate of pressurized gas between said at least one pressurized gas tank and said at least one propellant storage tank thereby transferring propellant between said at least one propellant storage tank and said propellant outlet. 21. The fluid transfer system according to claim 13 where said at least one propellant subsystem further includes at least one propellant transfer tank in flow communication with said at least one propellant storage tank, said pressurized gas tank and said one propellant outlet through said routing tube system, and wherein said at least one transfer tank includes separate gas and fluid volumes which are variable and sum to a total available volume of an interior of the at least one transfer tank, said routing tube system being configured such that said gas volume is in flow communication with said at least one pressurized gas tank and said at least one propellant storage tank, andcan be vented into space, and wherein said fluid volume is in flow communication with said at least one propellant storage tank and said propellant outlet. 22. The propellant transfer system according to claim 21 wherein said command and control system is programmed with instructions such that upon detection of a pressure in the client satellite propellant tank that is higher than that of the servicer spacecraft's propellant storage tank up to a set point for pressure regulators in a high pressure section tubing system associated with said at least one pressurized gas tank, it commands said at least one propellant transfer system to provide regulated pressure and flow rate through said at least one propellant subsystem from said at least one storage tank to said fluid volume of said at least one propellant transfer tank facilitated by instructing the flow control system to vent said gas volume of said transfer tank to space and to open a flow path between said at least one propellant storage tank and said fluid volume, and after a desired quantity of propellant has transferred to said fluid volume instructing said flow control system to cease venting said gas volume to space and to close said flow path, and thereafter it commands the flow control system to pressurize the gas volume and to open a flow path from said fluid volume to said propellant outlet thereby propellant from said fluid volume to said propellant outlet and into the client satellite storage tank. 23. The propellant transfer system according to claim 13 wherein said at least one propellant subsystem includes first and second propellant subsystems, said first and second propellant subsystems being configured to transfer bipropellant to client satellites configured for bipropellant propulsion, wherein said first propellant subsystem stores fuel, and wherein said second propellant subsystem stores oxidizer. 24. The propellant transfer system according to claim 13 wherein said at least one propellant subsystem includes first, second and third propellant subsystems, said first and second propellant subsystems being configured to transfer bipropellant to client satellites configured for bipropellant propulsion, and said third propellant subsystem being configured to transfer monopropellant to client satellites configured for monopropellant propulsion. 25. The propellant transfer system according to claim 13 wherein said at least one propellant transfer subsystem is connected, through said routing tube system, with at least one propulsion interface to supply propellant to the servicer spacecraft propulsion system. 26. A propellant transfer system mounted on a servicer satellite for transferring bipropellant and/or monopropellant between the servicer satellite and propellant tank of client satellites configured for propulsion with bipropellant and/or monopropellant respectively, each client satellite having a fill/drain valve associated with each propellant tank for accessing the propellant storage tank, comprising: a) first, second and third propellant transfer subsystems, each propellant transfer subsystem including, at least one pressurized tank containing a pressurized gas, at least one propellant storage tank, said at least one propellant storage tank and said at least one pressurized gas tank being in flow communication with each other through a routing tube system;b) a flow control system integrated with said interconnecting tube system for detecting and adjusting pressure and flow rate of said pressurized gas and propellant, anddetecting pressure in the client satellite propellant storage tank once the propellant transfer subsystem is coupled to the client satellite and the fill/drain valve on the client satellite propellant tank is open,c) a command and control system interfaced with the flow control system of each propellant transfer subsystem, said command and control system being configured to regulate pressure and flow rate of propellant between each propellant transfer subsystem and associated client satellite propellant tanks based on a detected pressure of the client satellite propellant tank; andd) a communication system configured to provide communication between said command and control system and a remote operator for remote teleoperator control, or a mixture of teleoperator control and supervised autonomy control, or fully autonomous control of propellant transfer operations between said first, second and third propellant transfer subsystems and said client satellite propellant tanks and the associated propellant tanks on the client satellite. 27. The propellant transfer system according to claim 26 wherein said command and control system includes a computer control system mounted on the servicer spacecraft interfaced with the flow control system of each propellant transfer subsystem, said computer control system being configured, and programmed with instructions, to regulate pressure and flow rate of propellant between each propellant transfer subsystem and the associated client satellite propellant tank based on a detected pressure of the client satellite propellant tank. 28. The propellant transfer system according to claim 26 wherein propellant in said storage tank in said first propellant transfer subsystem is fuel, wherein propellant contained in said storage tank in said second propellant transfer subsystem is oxidizer, wherein the fuel and the oxidizer form a bipropellant for a satellite configured for bipropellant propulsion, wherein the satellite configured for bipropellant propulsion has a first propellant storage tank for holding fuel and a second propellant storage tank for holding oxidizer, wherein the first and second propellant transfer subsystems are configured to mate with the fill/drain valves on the first and second propellant storage tanks respectively, and wherein the propellant contained in said storage tank in said third propellant transfer subsystem is a monopropellant for refueling satellites configured for monopropellant propulsion, wherein the satellite configured for monopropellant propulsion has a monopropellant storage tank, and wherein the third propellant transfer subsystem is configured to mate with the fill/drain valve of the monopropellant storage tank. 29. A system mounted on a servicer spacecraft for transferring fluid to a client satellite, the client satellite including at least one storage tank having at least a first fluid transfer coupling, comprising: a) a fluid storage and routing system for storing and routing fluid from said servicing spacecraft to the at least one storage tank on the client satellite, said storage and routing system including at least one pressurized tank containing a pressurized gas, at least one fluid storage tank, and an associated fluid transfer coupling,first and second flow paths connecting said at least one fluid storage tank, said at least one pressurized gas tank and said associated fluid transfer coupling,a pump in said flow path; andb) a flow control system configured for detecting and adjusting pressure and flow rate of said gas and fluid through said first and second flow paths,detecting pressure in the at least one storage tank on the client satellite once said associated fluid transfer coupling is coupled to the fluid transfer coupling on the client satellite,activating said pump for transferring fluid from said fluid tank to said at least one storage tank on the client satellite via said flow path at a pressure less than or equal to a pressure of the at least one pressurized gas tank, or via said second flow path without the pump at a pressure greater than a pressure of the at least one pressurized gas tank.