TWIN LOBE SPACECRAFT DISPENSER APPARATUS AND METHOD

摘要

A dispenser apparatus and method which includes a blended dispenser shell (18) having a lower portion (20) and a pair of integrally formed upper support portions (22) defining two distinct support areas on which a pair of spacecrafts (12) can be supported in a side-by-side configuration. The upper support portions are further disposed within an envelope defined by a lower edge of the lower portion of the dispenser shell. In one alternative embodiment a pair of adapter shells (149) are disposed on the upper support portions to enable interfacing with a standardized interface ring of each spacecraft. The embodiments of the dispenser are each formed from a graphite epoxy material by conventional construction processes and significantly reduce the overall weight of the dispenser, as compared with dispensers which support a pair of spacecrafts in a vertical configuration. The dispenser of the present invention further reduces the overall cost associated with supporting a pair of spacecrafts and reduces the amount of orbital debris which would otherwise be produced with dispensers which support a pair of spacecrafts in a vertical configuration.