Partial automated alignment and integration system

• US 8,694,183 B1
• Filed: 12/06/2011
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Inventors: Kelley, Gary Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): McPherson, James M
• Application Number:
  US13/312,481
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/13, 701/50, 701/124, 701/302, 701/408, 701/466, 701/467, 701/514, 701/516, 701/517, 701/518, 701/519, 701/23, 701/25, 472/130, 472/136, 434/29, 434/34, 434/219, 89/18.15, 244/158.1, 244/171.3, 244/171.1, 244/171.6, 244/173.1
• US Class Current: 701/13
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/00 Cosmonautic vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 5/00 Ground equipment for vehicles, e.g. starting towers, fuelling arrangements B64G3/00 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention is a Partial Automated Alignment and Integration System (PAAIS) used to automate the alignment and integration of space vehicle components. A PAAIS includes ground support apparatuses, a track assembly with a plurality of energy-emitting components and an energy-receiving component containing a plurality of energy-receiving surfaces. Communication components and processors allow communication and feedback through PAAIS.

Claims

1. A Partial Automated Alignment and Integration System (PAAIS) comprised of:

at least one horizontally movable equipment component;

at least one vertically movable equipment component;

a track assembly comprised of

a plurality of transportation beams, and

a plurality of energy-emitting components movably attached to said transportation beams, wherein at least one of said energy-emitting components is positioned to emit energy along a first axis, wherein at least one of said energy-emitting components is positioned to emit energy along a second axis, wherein at least one of said energy-emitting components is positioned to emit energy along a third axis, wherein said first, second, and third axes intersect at a predetermined end-position and end-orientation of a space vehicle component;

at least one energy-receiving component comprised of

a six-sided housing, wherein one side is configured to engage an external surface of said space vehicle component and provide a path for electrical power to enter an electrical power system of said space vehicle component,

a plurality of energy-receiving surfaces fixedly attached to at least one of said housing sides and configured to receive energy emitted by said energy-emitting components, wherein at least one of plurality of energy-receiving surfaces is oriented to receive energy along said first axis when said space vehicle component is in a first position and a first orientation, wherein at least one of plurality of energy-receiving surfaces is oriented to receive energy along said second axis when said space vehicle component is in a second position and a second orientation, wherein at least one of plurality of energy-receiving surfaces is oriented to receive energy along said third axis when said space vehicle component is in a third position and a third orientation;

at least one communication hardware component; and

at least one hardware processing component.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said energy-receiving surface contains nine sub-surfaces.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said energy-receiving component is configured with software to communicate with said hardware processing component.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said one side of said six-sided housing configured to engage a space vehicle component engages said space vehicle component at a ground umbilical carrier plate.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said hardware processing component is configured with software to move said energy-emitting components on said transportation beams.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one energy-receiving component is configured to convert thermal energy to electrical energy.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one energy-receiving component is configured to provide continual feedback to said at least one processing component.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said energy-emitting components contain a high-power laser energy source and a low-power laser energy source.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said energy-emitting components emits energy along an x axis, at least one of said energy-emitting components emits energy along a y axis, and at least one of said energy-emitting components emits energy along a z axis.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said horizontally movable equipment component is configured to move said space vehicle component along an axis selected from the group consisting of an x-axis, a y-axis and combinations thereof.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said movement is automated.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said vertically movable equipment component is configured to move said space vehicle component along a z-axis.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said movement is automated.

14. A computer system-implemented method for aligning a space vehicle component comprising the steps of:

engaging an external surface of said space vehicle component with at least one energy-receiving component comprised of a six-sided housing, wherein at least one of said sides is configured to engage said external surface and provide a path for electrical power to enter an electrical power system of said space vehicle component and wherein a plurality of energy-receiving surfaces are fixedly attached to at least one of said sides,

receiving input relating to positions of at least three energy-emitting components;

adjustably positioning said at least three energy-emitting components along a plurality of transportation beams so that axes of emitted energy from each of said energy-emitting components intersect at a target location corresponding to a predetermined end-position and end-orientation of said space vehicle component;

emitting energy from said energy-emitting components;

moving said space vehicle component operatively connected to said at least one energy-receiving component with at least one horizontally vertically movable equipment component and at least one vertically movable equipment component until said energy-receiving component receives said emitted energy, wherein said energy-receiving component engages an external surface of said space vehicle component and provides a path for electrical power to enter an electrical power system of said space vehicle component;

converting said emitted energy into electrical energy;

feeding said electrical energy into an electrical power system of said space vehicle component,

sending a signal to a feedback processor using said electrical energy to communicate an exact position of said space vehicle component;

readjusting said position of said space vehicle component based on feedback from said feedback processor;

continuously providing a signal to said feedback processor to communicate said exact position of said space vehicle component to create a feedback loop;

ending said feedback loop when said space vehicle component reaches said target location.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said energy-receiving component contains at least one energy-receiving surface.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said energy-receiving surface contains 9 sub-surfaces.

17. The method of claim 16 which further includes the step of determining which of said 9 sub-surfaces is receiving said emitted energy.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein said energy-emitting components emit low-power laser energy to be received by said at least one energy-receiving component.

19. The method of claim 18 which further includes the step of emitting high-power laser energy upon feedback from said energy-receiving component indicating that said energy-receiving component is receiving said emitted energy.

20. The method of claim 14 which further includes the step of repeating said method with further space vehicle components.