IP Library Granted Patent US 11,565,836
Granted Patent B1
US 11,565,836 · App. 16/228,343 · Granted Jan 31, 2023

Space printer

Inventors: Jeffrey Freedman (Laurel, MD); Ted Kaplan (North Potomac, MD); Phil Rubin (Washington, DC); David Marshack (Bethesda, MD); David Milliner (Potomac, MD)
Assignee: RKF Engineering Solutions LLC
B64G1/66B64G1/16B64G1/443G06F3/1285G06F3/1292G06F3/1294B64G2004/005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,565,836
App. No.
16/228,343
Granted
Jan 31, 2023
Kind
B1
Abstract

An item to write on a surface of a celestial body that has less atmosphere than Earth is received at a communications station and from a user device. An instruction that triggers the robot to write the item on the surface of the celestial body is provided by the communications station and to a robot on the surface of the celestial body. An image of the item written on the surface of the celestial body is received by the communications station and from the robot. The image of the item written on the surface of the celestial body is provided by the communications station and to the user device.

Claims (57)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a communications station and from a user device that is distinct from the communications station, an item to write on a surface of a celestial body that has less atmosphere than Earth;

providing, by the communications station and to a robot on the surface of the celestial body, an instruction that triggers the robot to write the item on the surface of the celestial body;

receiving, by the communications station and from the robot, an image displaying the item as written on the surface of the celestial body, wherein the image is obtained by the robot following writing of the item on the surface of the celestial body; and

providing, by the communications station and to the user device, the image displaying the item as written on the surface of the celestial body.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing an instruction that triggers the robot to write the item on the surface of the celestial body comprises:

receiving, by the communications station and from the robot, an image of the surface of the celestial body before the item is written;

determining, by the communications station, a location on the surface of the celestial body to write the item based on the image of the surface; and

providing an instruction to the robot to write the item at the location that was determined by the communications station.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving, by the communications station and from the robot, an image displaying the item as written on the surface of the celestial body comprises:

determining, by the communications station, a location from which an entirety of the item can be captured in an image that also includes a sky of the celestial body; and

instructing the robot to move to the location and capture the image of the item written on the surface of the celestial body.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving, by the communications station and from the robot, an image displaying the item as written on the surface of the celestial body is in response to providing the instruction that triggers the robot to write the item on the surface of the celestial body.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the celestial body that has less atmosphere than Earth comprises the Moon.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communications station is located on Earth.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the item is one or more of text or an image.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the robot includes treads that are configured to print the item on the surface of the celestial body as the robot moves across the surface of the celestial body.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

storing an indication of the location of the item that was written;

receiving a request to provide a second image of the item;

determining the location of the item from the indication that was stored;

instructing the robot to go to the location and capture the second image of the item; and

receiving the second image of the item.

10. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by the processor and, when executed, configured to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a communications station and from a user device that is distinct from the communications station, an item to write on a surface of a celestial body that has less atmosphere than Earth;

providing, by the communications station and to a robot on the surface of the celestial body, an instruction that triggers the robot to write the item on the surface of the celestial body;

receiving, by the communications station and from the robot, an image displaying the item as written on the surface of the celestial body, wherein the image is obtained by the robot following writing of the item on the surface of the celestial body; and

providing, by the communications station and to the user device, the image displaying the item as written on the surface of the celestial body.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein providing an instruction that triggers the robot to write the item on the surface of the celestial body comprises:

receiving, by the communications station and from the robot, an image of the surface of the celestial body before the item is written;

determining, by the communications station, a location on the surface of the celestial body to write the item based on the image of the surface; and

providing an instruction to the robot to write the item at the location that was determined by the communications station.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein receiving, by the communications station and from the robot, an image displaying the item as written on the surface of the celestial body comprises:

determining, by the communications station, a location from which an entirety of the item can be captured in an image that also includes a sky of the celestial body; and

instructing the robot to move to the location and capture the image of the item written on the surface of the celestial body.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein receiving, by the communications station and from the robot, an image displaying the item as written on the surface of the celestial body is in response to providing the instruction that triggers the robot to write the item on the surface of the celestial body.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the celestial body that has less atmosphere than Earth comprises the Moon.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the communications station is located on Earth.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the item is one or more of text or an image.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the robot includes treads that are configured to print the item on the surface of the celestial body as the robot moves across the surface of the celestial body.

18. The system of claim 10 , the operations comprising:

storing an indication of the location of the item that was written;

receiving a request to provide a second image of the item;

determining the location of the item from the indication that was stored;

instructing the robot to go to the location and capture the second image of the item; and

receiving the second image of the item.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by one or more processors and, when executed, configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a communications station and from a user device that is distinct from the communications station, an item to write on a surface of a celestial body that has less atmosphere than Earth;

providing, by the communications station and to a robot on the surface of the celestial body, an instruction that triggers the robot to write the item on the surface of the celestial body;

receiving, by the communications station and from the robot, an image displaying the item as written on the surface of the celestial body, wherein the image is obtained by the robot following writing of the item on the surface of the celestial body; and

providing, by the communications station and to the user device, the image displaying the item as written on the surface of the celestial body.

20. The medium of claim 19 , wherein providing an instruction that triggers the robot to write the item on the surface of the celestial body comprises:

receiving, by the communications station and from the robot, an image of the surface of the celestial body before the item is written;

determining, by the communications station, a location on the surface of the celestial body to write the item based on the image of the surface; and

providing an instruction to the robot to write the item at the location that was determined by the communications station.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 2, 2026
From: LA JOLLA LOGIC, INC.; LA JOLLA LOGIC, LLC; RKF ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS LLC; KYTHERA SOFTWARE, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073662/0527 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 11, 2021
From: FREEDMAN, JEFFREY; KAPLAN, TED; RUBIN, PHIL; MARSHACK, DAVID; MILLINER, DAVID
To: RKF ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 056512/0609 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 62608870 · Dec 21, 2017