Modular Space Structure Assembly With Reversible Joints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current space hardware construction methods are limited by volume and weight constraints during launch, leading to complex and costly deployable structures that are difficult to assemble and disassemble in space, with high risks and costs associated with astronaut EVAs and limited reusability of infrastructure.
Innovation Solution
A space-based manufacturing and assembly system that includes modular components with reversible mechanical and electrical interfaces, allowing for assembly, disassembly, and reconfiguration using a robotic manipulator, and additive manufacturing for in-space production of structural elements with integrated wiring harnesses and connectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If ground-launched deployable structures are used to overcome volume constraints, then volume limitations are partially offset, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The space structure is divided into modular components (trusses, panels, instruments) that can be independently manufactured on Earth and assembled in orbit. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized separately and simplifies the overall assembly process, reducing the complexity that would otherwise result from using deployable mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of launching fully assembled structures and deploying them in space, the invention inverts the approach by launching individual components and assembling them in orbit. This eliminates the need for complex deployable mechanisms while achieving the desired volume capacity through modular construction.
2Volume of moving object
If deployable structures with numerous joints and mechanisms are used, then volume limitations are overcome, but reliability decreases due to potential deployment failures
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the structure into rigid modular components assembled in orbit, the invention eliminates deployable mechanisms and their associated reliability issues. Each module is structurally simple and reliable, and the overall large-volume structure is achieved through configuration rather than deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes the problematic deployable mechanisms, joints, and unfolding structures from the design. By taking out these unreliable elements and replacing them with simple rigid components assembled in space, the reliability of the overall system is significantly improved while maintaining volume capacity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If astronaut EVAs are used for on-orbit assembly, then large space structures can be constructed, but cost and risk increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The modular components are designed with self-aligning and self-latching features that enable automatic assembly without requiring complex manual operations by astronauts. The standardized interfaces allow components to be easily connected by robotic systems or even floated into position, significantly reducing assembly complexity and eliminating the need for risky EVAs.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs universal standardized interfaces and connectors that work across all module types. This universality simplifies the assembly process by eliminating the need for specialized tools or procedures for different component types, reducing overall assembly complexity and enabling automated construction.
4Adaptability or versatility
If single-mission infrastructure is used, then mission-specific requirements are met, but loss of substance increases as components become space junk
Solution Approach 1:
The modular components are designed with universal interfaces and standardized configurations that allow them to be reused across multiple missions. The same trusses, panels, and instruments can be disassembled from one mission and reconfigured for another, dramatically reducing the loss of substance and eliminating the creation of space junk.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding infrastructure after a single mission, the invention enables recovery and reuse of all modular components. The standardized design allows for easy disassembly, inspection, repair if needed, and re deployment on subsequent missions, maximizing component utilization and minimizing waste.
Data Source
AI summary
An outer space-based reusable manufacturing and assembly system including at least one joint that comprises at least one receiver component, at least one strut that engages the at least one receiver component on the at least one joint and a joining element that provides for engaging and disengaging the at least one joint with at least the at least one strut so that either the at least one joint and the at least one strut are usable for another mission. Two other systems are also disclosed.