Company type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Aerospace |
Founded | 2010 |
Founder | Jonathan Goff |
Headquarters | 3001 Industrial Ln #5,
Broomfield, Colorado, U.S. |
Key people | Patrick Loner ( President & CEO) |
Altius Space Machines is a subsidiary company of Voyager Space Holdings (Jan 2020), based in Broomfield, CO dedicated to engineering the future in Aerospace.
Core Capabilities
In 2010, Altius Space Machines, with support from the SRI International invented the "Sticky Boom" Electroadhesive Boom-Rendezvous system to solve several of the key challenges associated with rendezvous and capture of the Orbiting Sample Canister (OSC) for a Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission. This system significantly improves on previously proposed sample canister capture systems, by providing the following key features:
In July 2011, Altius Space Machines won first place in the 2011 NewSpace Business Plan Competition in Silicon Valley, sponsored by the Space Frontier Foundation. [1]
Altius won a contract with DARPA in July 2012 to build a composite extensible robotic boom arm for the DARPA Phoenix project. [2] [3] [4] They also began work in 2012 developing Gecko-adhesive grippers, as part of work to build a Gecko Gripper Touch-to-Grasp tool that incorporated JPL’s "synthetic Gecko adhesive technology that mimics the ability of Gecko lizards to adhere to walls." The work leveraged previous work done by Altius on uncooperative capture mechanisms using electroadhesion. [5] [6]
In 2014, Altius began work on a MagnetoShell aerocapture and aerobraking technology for cubesats. Called MIDAS, Multi-Purpose Interplanetary Deployable Aerocapture System, the 6U CubeSats will be designed to be used on an interplanetary mission such as to Mars, Venus, or Jupiter's moon Europa [7] [8]
Other work includes the "Kraken Asteroid Boulder Retrieval System." In late 2014, Altius expects to test prototypes of grasping arms and non-force-closure grip per concepts for capturing a boulder off the surface of an asteroid. The study is funded by NASA as part of their broader Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) project and is intended to mature system concepts and key technologies while assessing the feasibility of potential commercial partnerships for ARM. [9]
In 2015 Altius won a contract to build lightweight robotic manipulators, that utilize rollable composite STEM booms to provide a prismatic extension/retraction DOF, as robot arms for Assistive Free-Flyers (AFFs) on the International Space Station. These Low-Inertia STEM Arm (LISA) manipulators can provide comparable or better manipulation capabilities to AFFs than traditional robotic manipulators, but with less mass, lower inertia, better stowability, and the ability to reach into hard-to-access locations.: [10] [11]
The DogTag™ is a universal grapple fixture that supports a wide variety of capture methods. : Patent number: US 2019/0241286A1
Hundreds of units are currently in orbit with hundreds more scheduled to be launched fully space-qualified to stringent Airbus-OneWeb Satellites requirements. OneWeb YouTube Video
An electropermanent magnets (EPM) is an Altius Space Machines patented technology, which offer numerous benefits over existing mechanical or magnetic interfaces. EPMs are solid-state switchable magnets, with no moving parts and can be put into an unlimited number of form factors.
Patent number: 10984936
Combines the best characteristics of both varieties to provide a desired magnetic field that:
EPMs combine the tunability of electromagnets with the stability of permanent magnets to produce a uniquely capable magnetic latch with no moving parts
Altius is currently working to develop the Dual-Mode EPM. This EPM will have a "Long-Range Mode" (LRM) and a "Short-Range Mode" (SRM). The LRM will exert meaningful force at a distance of 5 cm, exert slight force at 10–20 cm, and Grip force at contact sufficient to prevent "bouncing off". SRM achieves grip pressure = 200 kPA. Patent Pending: 20210210267
Altius has developed many products that contain EPM Technology and continues to invent new and innovative products to meet the needs of On-Orbit servicing.
Altius has developed a MagTag Modular Interface which allows for a new paradigm in spacecraft design, construction, and servicing: an EPM latched electrical and/or fluid connection interface.
Altius' Magnetic Tool Changer uses a solid-state switchable EPM magnetic latch and acts as a robotic end-effector. The robotic side connects to a tool side that can have a number of different tools (robotic or traditional). If the tool side is robotic, the tool changer can provide power and data to the tool and use it as if it were hard-wired.
Altius was selected under NASA's SBIR to develop the Experimental Swarm Construction Hardware EPM based Robotic interface (ESCHER) for NASA's In-Space Assembly (ISA) initiative of modular satellites and space facilities.
NASA Applications
Terrestrial Applications
Features:
Specifications:
Altius has developed an Electromechanically driven propellant transfer valve for the transfer of fluid or gas. Contains a paired Active and Passive Assembly for a tolerant fluid coupling.
39°55′20″N 105°06′09″W / 39.9223199589016°N 105.1025781309834°W
Company type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Aerospace |
Founded | 2010 |
Founder | Jonathan Goff |
Headquarters | 3001 Industrial Ln #5,
Broomfield, Colorado, U.S. |
Key people | Patrick Loner ( President & CEO) |
Altius Space Machines is a subsidiary company of Voyager Space Holdings (Jan 2020), based in Broomfield, CO dedicated to engineering the future in Aerospace.
Core Capabilities
In 2010, Altius Space Machines, with support from the SRI International invented the "Sticky Boom" Electroadhesive Boom-Rendezvous system to solve several of the key challenges associated with rendezvous and capture of the Orbiting Sample Canister (OSC) for a Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission. This system significantly improves on previously proposed sample canister capture systems, by providing the following key features:
In July 2011, Altius Space Machines won first place in the 2011 NewSpace Business Plan Competition in Silicon Valley, sponsored by the Space Frontier Foundation. [1]
Altius won a contract with DARPA in July 2012 to build a composite extensible robotic boom arm for the DARPA Phoenix project. [2] [3] [4] They also began work in 2012 developing Gecko-adhesive grippers, as part of work to build a Gecko Gripper Touch-to-Grasp tool that incorporated JPL’s "synthetic Gecko adhesive technology that mimics the ability of Gecko lizards to adhere to walls." The work leveraged previous work done by Altius on uncooperative capture mechanisms using electroadhesion. [5] [6]
In 2014, Altius began work on a MagnetoShell aerocapture and aerobraking technology for cubesats. Called MIDAS, Multi-Purpose Interplanetary Deployable Aerocapture System, the 6U CubeSats will be designed to be used on an interplanetary mission such as to Mars, Venus, or Jupiter's moon Europa [7] [8]
Other work includes the "Kraken Asteroid Boulder Retrieval System." In late 2014, Altius expects to test prototypes of grasping arms and non-force-closure grip per concepts for capturing a boulder off the surface of an asteroid. The study is funded by NASA as part of their broader Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) project and is intended to mature system concepts and key technologies while assessing the feasibility of potential commercial partnerships for ARM. [9]
In 2015 Altius won a contract to build lightweight robotic manipulators, that utilize rollable composite STEM booms to provide a prismatic extension/retraction DOF, as robot arms for Assistive Free-Flyers (AFFs) on the International Space Station. These Low-Inertia STEM Arm (LISA) manipulators can provide comparable or better manipulation capabilities to AFFs than traditional robotic manipulators, but with less mass, lower inertia, better stowability, and the ability to reach into hard-to-access locations.: [10] [11]
The DogTag™ is a universal grapple fixture that supports a wide variety of capture methods. : Patent number: US 2019/0241286A1
Hundreds of units are currently in orbit with hundreds more scheduled to be launched fully space-qualified to stringent Airbus-OneWeb Satellites requirements. OneWeb YouTube Video
An electropermanent magnets (EPM) is an Altius Space Machines patented technology, which offer numerous benefits over existing mechanical or magnetic interfaces. EPMs are solid-state switchable magnets, with no moving parts and can be put into an unlimited number of form factors.
Patent number: 10984936
Combines the best characteristics of both varieties to provide a desired magnetic field that:
EPMs combine the tunability of electromagnets with the stability of permanent magnets to produce a uniquely capable magnetic latch with no moving parts
Altius is currently working to develop the Dual-Mode EPM. This EPM will have a "Long-Range Mode" (LRM) and a "Short-Range Mode" (SRM). The LRM will exert meaningful force at a distance of 5 cm, exert slight force at 10–20 cm, and Grip force at contact sufficient to prevent "bouncing off". SRM achieves grip pressure = 200 kPA. Patent Pending: 20210210267
Altius has developed many products that contain EPM Technology and continues to invent new and innovative products to meet the needs of On-Orbit servicing.
Altius has developed a MagTag Modular Interface which allows for a new paradigm in spacecraft design, construction, and servicing: an EPM latched electrical and/or fluid connection interface.
Altius' Magnetic Tool Changer uses a solid-state switchable EPM magnetic latch and acts as a robotic end-effector. The robotic side connects to a tool side that can have a number of different tools (robotic or traditional). If the tool side is robotic, the tool changer can provide power and data to the tool and use it as if it were hard-wired.
Altius was selected under NASA's SBIR to develop the Experimental Swarm Construction Hardware EPM based Robotic interface (ESCHER) for NASA's In-Space Assembly (ISA) initiative of modular satellites and space facilities.
NASA Applications
Terrestrial Applications
Features:
Specifications:
Altius has developed an Electromechanically driven propellant transfer valve for the transfer of fluid or gas. Contains a paired Active and Passive Assembly for a tolerant fluid coupling.
39°55′20″N 105°06′09″W / 39.9223199589016°N 105.1025781309834°W