Abstract: A method of releasing artificial satellites into Earth's orbit includes providing an orbital transport spacecraft able to move at orbital height and comprising a cargo area, hooking a plurality of satellites in said cargo area, housing said orbital transport spacecraft in a space launcher configured to reach an orbital height, releasing said orbital transport spacecraft at orbital height, when said space launcher reaches orbital height, by imparting a separation thrust to said orbital transport spacecraft, releasing satellites in sequence from the cargo area. The release of each satellite from the cargo area occurs in a respective predetermined direction and upon the orbital transport spacecraft has reached a respective predetermined position.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 29, 2018
Date of Patent:
June 13, 2023
Assignee:
D-ORBIT S.P.A.
Inventors:
Luca Rossettini, Lorenzo Ferrario, Marco Bevilacqua, Lorenzo Vallini
Abstract: A method for the safe release of artificial satellite in Earth orbit includes the steps of providing an orbital transport spacecraft able to move at orbital height and comprising a plurality of PODs for releasing satellites transported by the orbital transport spacecraft, housing said orbital transport spacecraft in a space launcher configured to reach an orbital height; generating a release signal and transmitting it to the orbital transport spacecraft to release the orbital transport spacecraft from the space launcher, in case of failure to release the orbital transport spacecraft or in case of breakdown of the orbital transport spacecraft after releasing from the space launcher, activating a safety subsystem of the orbital transport spacecraft to generate a POD activation sequence to release the satellites.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 29, 2018
Date of Patent:
July 20, 2021
Assignee:
D-ORBIT S.P.A.
Inventors:
Luca Rossettini, Lorenzo Ferrario, Lorenzo Arena