A refinery spacecraft comprises a hub section defining a longitudinal axis, an excavator segment to convey material into the hub section, first, second and third rotary ring segments rotatable about the hub section with adjustable speed and direction, each rotary ring segments comprising three modules configured to carry out refining or storage processes and wherein two of the three modules in each rotary ring segment have adjustable angular positions relative to the longitudinal axis. Methods of collecting and refining substances from an asteroid, derelict orbiting spacecraft or other space junk, can comprise attaching a refining spacecraft to an asteroid, extracting material from the asteroid, transferring material into a refining hub, transferring material to refining rings orbiting the refining hub, and controlling orbiting of the refining rings about the hub to establish and maintain angular momentum of the refining spacecraft at a stable condition.


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    Title :

    Modular artificial-gravity orbital refinery spacecraft


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    2023-08-29


    Type of media :

    Patent


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English


    Classification :

    IPC:    B64G Raumfahrt , COSMONAUTICS / B25J Manipulatoren , MANIPULATORS / E21C Bergbau oder Steinbruchbetrieb , MINING OR QUARRYING



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