An assembly process for a spacecraft

Abstract

The application provides an assembly process of a spacecraft, and belongs to the technical field of spacecraft production and assembly. The application solves the technical problem of low efficiency of the existing assembly process of the spacecraft. The assembly process of the spacecraft comprises the following steps: cabin plate subassembly: installing and fixing functional elements on corresponding +Z cabin plates, -Z cabin plates, +X partition plates, -X partition plates, +X cabin plates, -X cabin plates, +Y cabin plates and -Y cabin plates; pre-test assembly: sequentially combining the -Z cabin plates, the +X partition plates, the -X partition plates, the +Z cabin plates, the +X cabin plates and the -X cabin plates and forming assembly through connecting pieces; normal-pressure thermal cycle test: exposing the spacecraft after the pre-test assembly to a preset high-low temperature alternating test environment for test under normal-pressure conditions; cabin sealing and assembly: assembling the +Y cabin plates and the -Y cabin plates to the spacecraft after the normal-pressure thermal cycle test through connecting pieces. The assembly process of the spacecraft can improve the efficiency while ensuring the assembly quality of the spacecraft.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of spacecraft production and assembly technology, and relates to a spacecraft assembly process. Background Technology

[0002] Artificial Earth satellites refer to unmanned spacecraft that orbit the Earth more than once in space. They are the most numerous, widely used, and fastest-growing type of spacecraft, primarily used for scientific exploration and research, weather forecasting, land resource surveys, land use, regional planning, communication, tracking, and navigation. Currently, most microsatellites adopt a modular structure, including solar panels, several modules, and functional components mounted on each module. The entire process of assembling these modules to form a box-like structure is called assembly, and the control and optimization of this process are crucial for ensuring the quality of spacecraft products.

[0003] Before spacecraft roll off the production line, they often undergo multiple tests to ensure stable operation in the harsh space environment, such as mechanical vibration tests and thermal tests, to identify defects in advance and make adjustments. For example, the multi-satellite vacuum thermal testing method and system disclosed in application publication number CN111605742A is used to conduct thermal tests on a fully convex surface spacecraft that has been combined into a single module, which improves the reliability of the method for simultaneous vacuum thermal testing of multiple satellites.

[0004] However, the thermal cycling tests in the above schemes all need to be carried out after the spacecraft is assembled. The test preparation work is long, and if the test results are abnormal, the entire satellite needs to be disassembled, which is inefficient and will affect the quality of reassembly. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems in existing technologies, this invention provides a spacecraft assembly process. The technical problem this invention aims to solve is: how to improve assembly efficiency while ensuring the assembly quality of the spacecraft.

[0006] The objective of this invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0007] A spacecraft assembly process includes the following steps:

[0008] Sub-assembly of compartment panels: The corresponding electrical components are assembled onto the corresponding +Z compartment panel, -Z compartment panel, +X bulkhead, -X bulkhead, +X compartment panel, -X compartment panel, +Y compartment panel and -Y compartment panel respectively;

[0009] Pre-test assembly: The -Z compartment plate, +X bulkhead, -X bulkhead, +Z compartment plate, +X compartment plate and -X compartment plate are assembled sequentially and connected to form an assembly;

[0010] Atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test: A test conducted under atmospheric pressure conditions, exposing the pre-assembled spacecraft to a pre-designed alternating high and low temperature test environment;

[0011] Module assembly: The +Y and -Y modules are assembled onto the spacecraft that has completed the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test using connectors.

[0012] The mass production of spacecraft involves first assembling each compartment separately. This compartment assembly involves fixing the electrical components that need to be pre-installed on the inside of each compartment to the compartment. Compared with assembling electrical components after the spacecraft frame is formed, this reduces interference and makes the operation more efficient and precise. Pre-test assembly involves sequentially assembling the -Z compartment, +X bulkhead, -X bulkhead, +Z compartment, +X compartment, and -X compartment into a semi-finished spacecraft before final assembly. The atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test process is as follows: the laboratory is in an atmospheric pressure environment, and the temperature is controlled within a certain high and low temperature range. First, the temperature is raised to a high temperature and held for a certain period of time, then lowered to the low temperature limit and held for a certain period of time, and then raised to a high temperature again. This cycle is repeated multiple times. By repeatedly cycling through temperature changes, the internal cavity of the semi-finished spacecraft is exposed to alternating high and low temperature test environments. Air convection facilitates rapid temperature synchronization, thereby more efficiently testing the high and low temperature resistance of spacecraft components. After the semi-finished spacecraft passes the test, the +Y and -Y modules are assembled to complete the module assembly. By interspersing thermal cycling tests during the module assembly process, the test time can be significantly shortened while ensuring the test effect, thus improving test efficiency. Furthermore, if problems are found in the test results, it is also convenient to directly adjust the interior of the spacecraft, which runs through the Y direction, avoiding repeated disassembly and assembly, ensuring structural accuracy, and thus improving efficiency while ensuring assembly quality.

[0013] In the assembly process of the aforementioned spacecraft, the solar panels are docked and installed onto the +Y and -Y modules after the module assembly step. The +Y and -Y modules have a simplified structure, with almost no additional components installed on their inner sides. The outer sides of the +Y and -Y modules are docked and installed with the solar panels, which reduces the impact of the solar panel installation process on the internal components of the spacecraft.

[0014] In the assembly process of the aforementioned spacecraft, the assembly station includes a first station, a second station, and a third station. The ±Z compartment panel and the ±X bulkhead are assembled at the first station, the ±X compartment panel is assembled at the second station, and the ±Y compartment panel is assembled at the third assembly station. This distribution of the assembly process across multiple assembly stations reduces the assembly time at each station and facilitates efficient, batch production.

[0015] In the aforementioned spacecraft assembly process, after the ±Z compartment panel and ±X bulkhead are assembled, they are transported from the first workstation to the second workstation by an AGV along with the conformal frame used for positioning the spacecraft. The conformal frame then engages with the positioner at the second workstation. This co-transfer of the spacecraft and conformal frame ensures stable structural positioning during assembly, reducing the probability of loosening or misalignment during transport. The AGV provides precise navigation at a uniform speed, facilitating accurate spacecraft positioning and transport.

[0016] In the aforementioned spacecraft assembly process, after the ±X compartment panels are assembled, they can be transported by AGV from the second station to the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test station along with the conformal frame used for positioning the spacecraft. After the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test, the spacecraft and conformal frame are transported by AGV from the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test station to the third station. In this way, after the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test, the spacecraft can maintain rapid engagement with the positioner at the third station via the original conformal frame, ensuring stable and efficient flow.

[0017] In the assembly process of the aforementioned spacecraft, the sub-assembly of modules is achieved through multiple sub-assembly stations. Different modules, such as ±X bulkhead, ±X module, ±Y module, and ±Z module, can be processed at their respective sub-assembly stations, resulting in higher processing efficiency and reducing the frequency of tooling changes.

[0018] In the assembly process of the aforementioned spacecraft, the ±X bulkhead, ±X compartment panel, ±Y compartment panel, and ±Z compartment panel are all independently positioned within a tooling frame and transported by AGV along with the tooling frame from the sub-assembly station to the assembly station for positioning and assembly. Each compartment panel is positioned by a detachable professional tooling frame, which helps to reduce frequent contact between external parts and the compartment panels during the transfer process, ensuring the dimensional and positional accuracy of the compartment panels themselves, and guaranteeing assembly quality.

[0019] In the aforementioned spacecraft assembly process, precise measurements and electrical tests are performed on the pre-test assembled spacecraft between the pre-test assembly step and the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test step. Before the thermal cycling test, the semi-finished spacecraft is precisely dimensionally measured using equipment such as a theodolite and measuring arm to ensure that its assembly dimensions meet the requirements, avoiding the waste of test resources on unqualified products. This also facilitates disassembly and adjustment if problems arise. This Y-axis through-type semi-finished spacecraft design facilitates the layout and testing of equipment and wiring, reduces testing and adjustment costs, and ensures the assembly quality of the spacecraft product.

[0020] In the assembly process of the aforementioned spacecraft, the cooling method for the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test step uses liquid nitrogen cooling combined with mechanical refrigeration for heat preservation, while the heating method for the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling detection step uses an electric heater for temperature rise. During the cooling process in the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test, mechanical refrigeration is first used to reach the designated temperature before liquid nitrogen refrigeration is activated, achieving a more economical cooling effect. During the heating process, using an electric heater ensures more precise and smooth temperature control, resulting in better simulation performance.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows:

[0022] The assembly process of this spacecraft involves conducting atmospheric pressure thermal cycling tests on the semi-finished spacecraft. By interspersing thermal cycling tests during the panel assembly process, the air can quickly transfer temperature through convection, improving testing efficiency. Furthermore, if problems are found during the tests, it is also convenient to directly adjust the interior of the spacecraft, which runs through the Y direction, reducing the difficulty of rework and adjustment. This improves efficiency while ensuring assembly quality. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of this embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The following are specific embodiments of the present invention, which are described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0025] Satellite spacecraft generally include solar panels, several modules, and functional components mounted on each module. The modules are: +X module, -X module, +Z module, -Z module, +Y module, -Y module, +X bulkhead, and -X bulkhead.

[0026] like Figure 1 As shown, the assembly process of this spacecraft includes the following steps:

[0027] Sub-assembly of compartment panels: The corresponding electrical components are respectively assembled onto the ±X partition, ±X compartment panel, ±Y compartment panel and ±Z panel located at different sub-assembly stations. The sub-assembled ±X partition, ±X compartment panel, ±Y compartment panel and ±Z compartment panel are independently positioned in the tooling frame and transported from the sub-assembly station to the assembly station by AGV together with the tooling frame.

[0028] Pre-test assembly: The -Z compartment panel, +X bulkhead, -X bulkhead, +Z compartment panel, +X compartment panel, and -X compartment panel are sequentially assembled and connected to form an assembly. The assembly station includes a first station, a second station, and a third station. The ±Z compartment panel and ±X bulkhead are assembled at the first station, and the ±X compartment panel is assembled at the second station. After the ±Z compartment panel and ±X bulkhead are assembled, they are transported by AGV from the first station to the second station along with the conformal frame used for positioning the spacecraft. The conformal frame is then matched with the positioner at the second station. After the ±X compartment panel is assembled, it can be transported by AGV from the second station to the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test station along with the conformal frame used for positioning the spacecraft.

[0029] Atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test: Under atmospheric pressure conditions, the spacecraft, which has been assembled before the test, is exposed to a pre-set high and low temperature alternating test environment. After the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test, the spacecraft and conformal frame are transported by AGV from the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test station to the third station.

[0030] Module assembly: The +Y and -Y modules are assembled at the third work station using connectors and then onto the spacecraft that has completed the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test.

[0031] Following the assembly of the modules, the solar panels are docked and installed onto the +Y and -Y modules. The +Y and -Y modules have a simplified structure, with almost no additional components installed on their inner sides. The outer sides of the +Y and -Y modules are docked and installed with the solar panels, which reduces the impact of the solar panel installation process on the internal components of the spacecraft and ensures the quality of the spacecraft assembly.

[0032] The mass production of spacecraft involves the initial assembly of each compartment panel. This panel assembly involves fixing the electrical components that need to be pre-installed on the inside of each compartment panel to the panel. Compared to assembling electrical components after the spacecraft frame is formed, this reduces interference and makes the operation more efficient and precise. Pre-test assembly involves sequentially assembling the -Z compartment panel, +X bulkhead, -X bulkhead, +Z compartment panel, +X compartment panel, and -X compartment panel into a semi-finished spacecraft before final assembly. The atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test process is as follows: the test chamber is kept in an atmospheric pressure environment and the ambient air is kept dry. The temperature is controlled between -150℃ and 150℃. The temperature is first raised from room temperature to the high temperature limit and held for 8 hours, then lowered to the low temperature limit and held for 8 hours, and then raised to room temperature. This cycle is repeated 10 times. During the test, the ambient temperature uniformity is kept between -2℃ and 2℃, the ambient temperature deviation is kept between ±2℃, the air temperature change rate is controlled at 18℃ / min, and the sample surface temperature change rate is controlled at 13℃ / min. Specifically, the cooling method for the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test step uses liquid nitrogen cooling combined with mechanical refrigeration for insulation, while the heating method for the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test step uses an electric heater for temperature rise. During the cooling process in the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test, mechanical refrigeration is used first to reach the specified temperature before liquid nitrogen refrigeration is activated, achieving a more economical cooling effect. During the heating process, the electric heater ensures more precise and smooth temperature control, resulting in better simulation effects. Through this repeated temperature change cycle, the internal cavity of the spacecraft semi-finished product is exposed to alternating high and low temperature test environments. Air convection facilitates rapid temperature synchronization, thereby more efficiently testing the high and low temperature resistance of spacecraft components. After the spacecraft semi-finished product tests are passed, the +Y and -Y modules are assembled to complete the module assembly. This interspersed thermal cycling test during the module assembly process improves testing efficiency, and if problems arise during testing, it allows for direct adjustments to the Y-axis through-hole spacecraft interior, reducing the difficulty of rework and ensuring assembly quality while improving efficiency.

[0033] Between the pre-test assembly step and the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test step, the spacecraft, after pre-test assembly, undergoes precise position and dimension measurements. Before the thermal cycling test, the semi-finished spacecraft is precisely dimensionally measured using a theodolite, and internal components are electrically tested to ensure that the assembled dimensions meet requirements, avoiding the waste of testing resources on defective products. This also facilitates disassembly and adjustment if problems arise. This Y-axis-through semi-finished spacecraft design facilitates the layout and testing of equipment and wiring, reduces testing and adjustment costs, and ensures the assembly quality of the spacecraft product.

[0034] The specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the spirit of the invention. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains may make various modifications or additions to the described specific embodiments or use similar methods to substitute them, without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A spacecraft assembly process, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Sub-assembly of compartment panels: The corresponding electrical components are assembled onto the corresponding +Z compartment panel, -Z compartment panel, +X bulkhead, -X bulkhead, +X compartment panel, -X compartment panel, +Y compartment panel and -Y compartment panel respectively; Pre-test assembly: The -Z compartment panel, +X bulkhead, -X bulkhead, +Z compartment panel, +X compartment panel and -X compartment panel are sequentially assembled and connected to form an assembly. The assembly station includes a first station, a second station and a third station. The ±Z compartment panel and ±X bulkhead are assembled at the first station, and the ±X compartment panel is assembled at the second station. After the ±Z compartment panel and ±X bulkhead are assembled, they are transported by AGV from the first station to the second station along with the conformal frame used for positioning the spacecraft. The conformal frame is then matched with the positioner at the second station. After the ±X compartment panel is assembled, it is transported by AGV from the second station to the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test station along with the conformal frame used for positioning the spacecraft. Atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test: A test conducted under atmospheric pressure conditions, exposing the pre-assembled spacecraft to a pre-designed alternating high and low temperature test environment; Assembly and sealing: The ±Y compartment is assembled at the third work station. After the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test, the spacecraft and conformal frame are transported by AGV from the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test work station to the third work station. The +Y and -Y compartments are then assembled onto the spacecraft that has completed the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test using connectors.

2. The spacecraft assembly process according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the cabin assembly step, the solar panels are docked and installed onto the +Y and -Y panels.

3. The spacecraft assembly process according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of sub-assembly of the cabin panels is carried out through multiple sub-assembly stations.

4. The spacecraft assembly process according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ±X bulkhead, ±X compartment plate, ±Y compartment plate, and ±Z compartment plate are all independently positioned within the tooling frame and transported by AGV along with the tooling frame from the sub-assembly station to the assembly station for positioning and assembly.

5. The spacecraft assembly process according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Precision and electrical tests are performed on the spacecraft after pre-test assembly between the pre-test assembly step and the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test step.

6. The spacecraft assembly process according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The cooling method for the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test step is a combination of liquid nitrogen cooling and mechanical refrigeration for heat preservation, while the heating method for the atmospheric pressure thermal cycling test step is an electric heater for temperature rise.

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