SBIR/STTR Award attributes
As the in-space ecosystem has continued to grow, industry has developed considerable interest in various forms of modular spacecraft interfaces. These include grapple interfaces, power transfer interfaces, fluid transfer interfaces, and hosted payload platforms. Many companies have developed hardware to fill one or more of these missions; however, up to the present no company has developed an interface that is simultaneously both an excellent in-space docking interface and can support large payloads through the vibration of the launch environment. The Docking, Anchoring and Towing Universal Match-plate (DATUM) interface is the solution to allow for a truly universal androgynous interface capable of meeting all requirements for docking and launch lock. DATUM offers a combination several benefits that no existing interface can currently provide. These advantages include: Androgynous: DATUM is an identical interface for each half, allowing a single design to be mounted and deployed across many systems, ensuring intercompatibility across the ecosystem Capture at a Distance: Altius’ Dual-Mode electropermanent magnet (EPM) gripper provides magnetic attraction force across distances as far as 5 to 10 cm, allowing for safer and more reliable capture CONOPS than traditional docking methods, and pure planar contact is all that is needed to establish a “soft dock” between the two halves No-power Hold: The EPMs and mechanical locks will maintain a holding force even through a power loss event Magnetic Attraction and Repulsion: The centrally mounted EPM module can reverse polarity on command, changing a magnetic attraction force into a magnetic repulsion force to separate the two interface halves when undocking Combined Fluid/Power/Data Transfer: DATUM has provisions for power, data, and fluid transfer all in the same interface, allowing the same universal connector to be used for nearly all payloads, from RF antennas and apertures to propellant storage tanks Self-Alignment Geometry: The geometry of the DATUM structure provides self-alignment while mating, greatly increasing the capture envelope and reliability of a successful docking mission Launch Lock Load Reaction: Datum utilizes secondary mechanical locks which can be set by a manual operator or autonomously driven, allowing the interface to be used as a launch-lock and deployment mechanism for payloads integrated on the ground During Phase I, Altius will perform design trades to refine the conceptual design of the DATUM to become optimized for AFRL’s technical and cost requirements. This will be followed by detailed design of a Phase 1 ground prototype, and the build and test of two DATUM interfaces, including cycle testing and vibration testing. This will raise the DATUM design to TRL 4 from an initial TRL 2. In Phase II, Altius will refine the design and qualify it for the launch and space environments to be ready for deployment on a follow-on technology demonstration mission.
