PATELLA - A SPECIALIZED SPACE VEHICLE FOR DOCKING ASSISTANCE AND IN-ORBIT ASSEMBLY

​

Let’s Connect!

NASA Space Apps Challenge 2020

Team Patella - You Wink, We Link!

Members:

Paras Adlakha

Anirudh Aggarwal

Bryan Jose Capacete Cruz

Siddharth Sunil Lokhande

Yohana David Laiser

Priya Rajanikant Patel

Let’s Connect!

Our team was inspired by the human endeavor to become a multiplanetary species. For that to happen, massive structures such as spaceships and hotels for space tourism have to be built. This requires precise, reliable and cost effective mechanisms of joining things in space that is docking and in-orbit assembly.

As part of nature, we looked for something that already exist in nature. To our surprise, the answer lies in our own bodies! Patella is a small sesamoid (independent) bone also known as knee-cap that joins two massive bones, Femur and Tibia, and facilitate smooth movement at the knee joint. We immediately came up with the idea of a vehicle that is independent and has two robotic arms for docking (just like Patellar tendons) and a third robotic arm with improved dexterity for in-orbit assembly. The architecture of our own body provided the inspiration for architecture in space!

​

​

​

Docking Station - Front View

Parts of the docking vehicles to be joined with space docking standards.

Docking Station - Side View

Docking parts with capturing ports at the sides.

Assembly of Two Docking Stations

Pitch, yaw and roll orientation and alignment to be performed by our robotic vehicle.

Robotic Vehicle For Assembly

Our solution with two docking robotic arms , one assembly arm and ion propultion engine for orbital maneuvers and 16 side thrusters for proximity operations. Powered by solar energy using solar panels.