Session
Technical Session VI: Enabling New Technologies and Methods I
Abstract
With the continued push for smaller, faster, and cheaper spacecraft comes a new era in mechanism design. The desire to develop “Micro Satellites”, along with advances in the processing and selection of materials, have created an abundance of opportunities to miniaturize mechanisms. Simple designs with direct applications of developing technologies are ideal for these miniature mechanisms. This paper will focus on the design and development of a miniature satellite “tool kit”. Six mechanisms were developed by Starsys Research and the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) at John Hopkins University (JHU) under a NASA Advanced Technology Development (ATD) Program. The mechanisms developed included a Micro and Mini Separation Nut, a Mini Rotary Actuator, a Micro Burn Wire Release, a SMA Linear Actuator, and a SMA Redundant Release Mechanism. The paper will discuss the concepts evaluated, designs chosen for fabrications, problems encountered during development, achieved performance characteristics, and recommendations for future development.
Design and Development of Miniature Mechanisms for Small Spacecraft
With the continued push for smaller, faster, and cheaper spacecraft comes a new era in mechanism design. The desire to develop “Micro Satellites”, along with advances in the processing and selection of materials, have created an abundance of opportunities to miniaturize mechanisms. Simple designs with direct applications of developing technologies are ideal for these miniature mechanisms. This paper will focus on the design and development of a miniature satellite “tool kit”. Six mechanisms were developed by Starsys Research and the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) at John Hopkins University (JHU) under a NASA Advanced Technology Development (ATD) Program. The mechanisms developed included a Micro and Mini Separation Nut, a Mini Rotary Actuator, a Micro Burn Wire Release, a SMA Linear Actuator, and a SMA Redundant Release Mechanism. The paper will discuss the concepts evaluated, designs chosen for fabrications, problems encountered during development, achieved performance characteristics, and recommendations for future development.
