On-orbit reusable spiral cable operated by astronaut

By designing an in-orbit reusable spiral cable for astronaut operation, the problems of space station payload installation and extravehicular activity (EVA) and return were solved. The cable length was made adaptable and reusable multiple times, meeting the operational needs of astronauts and improving product reliability and safety.

CN121306644APending Publication Date: 2026-01-09SHANGHAI AEROSPACE SYST ENG INST
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202511490873.X
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-10-17
Publication Date
2026-01-09

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing cable designs cannot meet the needs of space station payloads being installed by astronauts for both extravehicular and extravehicular activities, and cannot adapt to different usage scenarios with short and long cable paths. The wire length is fixed, the function is limited, and it cannot adapt to changes in cable length.

Method used

An on-orbit reusable helical cable for astronaut operation was designed, comprising a protected straight section, a protected helical section, and a free section. It uses an outer sheath made of radiation-resistant and atomic oxygen-resistant materials. The joints are mechanically reinforced by potting and molding. The power supply line and signal line are designed separately and isolated. The connectors are ergonomically verified. The outer sheath is made of ETFE material. The cable can adapt to changes in length.

Benefits of technology

It achieves adaptive length changes of cables during payload extravehicular activity and reentry, meeting the operational needs of astronauts, improving product reliability and safety, suitable for different environments on the space station, supports multiple reuses, and has a long lifespan design.

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Abstract

The on-orbit reusable spiral cable operated by the astronaut comprises a linear section with protection, a spiral section with protection and a free section, the protection linear segment and the protection spiral segment are both in a structural form of a traditional cable and an outer sheath, and the outer sheath is made of an anti-radiation and atomic oxygen prevention material. The protection spiral section is in a spiral winding shape and is in a compressed state, and the length of the cable can be adaptively changed according to scenes; the free section is of a traditional cable structure and is free of an outer sheath. The cable design comprises length and structure design, astronaut man-machine ergonomics design, signal safety design, space environment adaptability design and long service life design, and the use requirements that a space station load is installed by an astronaut and the load goes out of and returns to a cabin can be met.
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