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A COUPLING ASSEMBLY FOR FLUIDLY CONNECTING FIRST AND SECOND SPACECRAFT AND A KIT OF PARTS FOR A COUPLING AND A METHOD OF FLUIDLY CONNECTING FIRST AND SECOND SPACECRAFT USING A COUPLING
A COUPLING ASSEMBLY FOR FLUIDLY CONNECTING FIRST AND SECOND SPACECRAFT AND A KIT OF PARTS FOR A COUPLING AND A METHOD OF FLUIDLY CONNECTING FIRST AND SECOND SPACECRAFT USING A COUPLING
The present disclosure relates to a coupling assembly (10, 100, 200) for fluidly connecting first and second spacecraft. The first spacecraft comprises a drive mechanism (2) and the second spacecraft comprising a valve (1, 101, 201) for filling and/or draining the second spacecraft. The coupling assembly comprises first and second connectors (11, 12) and a lock (13). The first connector (11) comprises an actuating member (14, 114, 214) configured to engage and open the valve (1) and a coupling member (15) configured to couple to the drive mechanism (2) such that the drive mechanism is operable to exert a torque on the coupling member (15) to rotate the coupling member. The second connector (12) comprises a stop portion (27A) and a bore (29) for transferring fluid, the second connector (12) configured to screw on to the valve (1) until the stop portion (27A) engages the valve (1). In use, the lock (13) is initially in a locked state wherein the coupling member (15) is rotationally fixed relative to the second connector (12) such that operation of the drive mechanism (2) rotates the coupling member (15) and the second connector (12) together such that the second connector is screwed on to the valve (1) until the stop portion engages the valve, the actuating member being prevented from moving relative to the second connector to engage and open the valve whilst the lock is in the locked state. The lock (13) is configured such that, once the stop portion engages the valve, operation of the drive mechanism to exert a torque on the coupling member that is greater than a predetermined torque level moves the lock to an unlocked state wherein the actuating member is moveable relative to the second connector to engage and open the valve. The present disclosure also relates to a kit of parts for a coupling and to a method of fluidly connecting first and second spacecraft using a coupling.
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