Solar wing and tether mechanisms for asteroid uncooperative docking and asteroid orbit adjustments

Abstract

A space craft docks with a target, such as an asteroid utilizing a tether shaped in a loop. The loop is positioned about a portion of the asteroid and retracted thereby docking the space craft to the target. A deployable wing may then be inflated and filled with foam. The wing has a reflective surface which assists in generating a larger momentum from impending photons. The wing may be moved relative to the space craft to alter the forces acting on the wing, and thus the target. These forces are utilized, over time, to alter the orbit of the target. Sensors and communication equipment may be utilized to allow remote operation of the wing and tether.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimed herein is:  
     
         1 . A space craft capable of docking with a target, said space craft comprising: 
 a tether, said tether deployable from the space craft to form a loop of a first circumference in a space environment;    wherein retraction of the t said tether retractable relative to the space craft so that said loop forms a second circumference, said first circumference greater than said second circumference, and ether docks the space craft to the target.    
     
     
         2 . The space craft of  claim 1  wherein said second circumference approximately equivalent to an outer circumference of a portion of the target.  
     
     
         3 . The space craft of  claim 1  further comprising thrusters for manuevering the space craft in the space environment to position the loop of the tether about a portion of the target.  
     
     
         4 . The space craft of  claim 1  further comprising sensors for evaluating the position of the tether in space.  
     
     
         5 . The space craft of  claim 4  further comprising communications equipment to report and receive information related to the docking process.  
     
     
         6 . The space craft of  claim 1  further comprising an anchor for securing the space craft to the target.  
     
     
         7 . The space craft of  claim 6  wherein the anchor is screw driven.  
     
     
         8 . The space craft of  claim 6  wherein the anchor is explosively driven.  
     
     
         9 . The space craft of  claim 1  wherein the tether is comprised of a ribbon having ribs.  
     
     
         10 . The space craft of  claim 1  further comprising a deployable wing, said wing capable of altering the orbit of the target when deployed.  
     
     
         11 . The space craft of  claim 1  wherein the space craft is an Earth launched satellite.  
     
     
         12 . The space craft of  claim 1  wherein the target is an asteroid.  
     
     
         13 . A space craft for adjusting the orbit of a target, said space craft comprising: 
 a deployable wing connected to and moveable relative to the space craft when deployed in a space environment; and    an anchor securing the space craft to the target.    
     
     
         14 . The space craft of  claim 13  further comprising communication equipment on the spacecraft for transferring commands to the space craft from a remote location to move the wing relative to the space craft to adjust the orbit of the target.  
     
     
         15 . The space craft of  claim 13  wherein the wing further comprises a highly reflective exposed surface on the wing.  
     
     
         16 . The space craft of  claim 13  wherein the wing is an inflatable solar wing.  
     
     
         17 . The space craft of  claim 16  wherein the solar wing is inflated and filled with foam.  
     
     
         18 . The space craft of  claim 13  further comprising a tether deployable from the space craft to form a loop of a first circumference in a space environment; 
 said tether then retractable relative to the space craft so that said loop forms a second circumference, said first circumference greater than said second circumference, wherein retraction of the tether docks the space craft to the target.  
 
     
     
         19 . A method of changing the orbit of a target comprising: 
 a. locating a space craft in the vicinity of a target in a space environment;    b. deploying a tether from the space craft to form a loop of a first circumference, said first circumference greater than a circumference of a portion of the target;    c. positioning the loop about the portion of the target;    d. retracting the tether to dock the space craft to the target;    e. providing a wing from the space craft to deflect the orbit of the target.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the step of providing a wing further comprises deploying an inflatable wing from the space craft with a reflective surface, said wing acted upon by photon energy to alter the orbit of the target over time.