Satellite Boom Deployment via Spool and Nesting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current satellite deployment systems face challenges in efficiently deploying multiple booms from a compact form factor while maintaining structural integrity and minimizing interference with electric field measurements, particularly in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) missions.
Innovation Solution
A multi-boom deployment device featuring a spool-based mechanism that transitions booms from a stowed, flattened configuration to a deployed, cylindrical configuration, utilizing a restraint mechanism and spring mechanism to extend booms in various directions, with each boom incorporating a slit for flattening and rolling, and equipped with sensors and wires for precise deployment and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple booms are deployed from a compact satellite form factor, then the satellite can perform electric field measurements with reduced shadowing effects, but the deployment mechanism becomes more complex and the booms may interfere with each other during deployment
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple booms are nested together in a compact configuration within the satellite body, with each boom containing or being adjacent to others. This nesting allows all booms to be stored in a small volume and then deployed simultaneously or sequentially to their extended measurement positions, resolving the contradiction between compact stowage and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The deployment mechanism is divided into multiple independent boom units, each with its own drive mechanism (motor, spool, or spring). This segmentation allows individual booms to be controlled separately, enabling precise deployment timing and positioning to avoid interference while maintaining overall system compactness.
2Volume of moving object
If booms are flattened and wrapped around a spool for stowage, then the satellite maintains a compact form factor, but the boom structure may be damaged or lose structural integrity during deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The booms are designed with a flexible yet structurally sound construction that allows them to be flattened and wrapped around a spool for stowage. The boom material and cross-sectional geometry are engineered to withstand the bending stresses of compact storage while maintaining structural integrity during deployment to their rigid extended positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The deployment mechanism includes controlled deployment sequences and protective features that prevent damage during the transition from flattened stowage to extended configuration. This may involve gradual unspooling, protective guides, or controlled force application to avoid sudden stress concentrations that could damage the boom structure.
3Reliability
If a restraint mechanism is used to cover the aperture during stowage, then the booms are protected from environmental damage, but the deployment process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint mechanism is pre-positioned and designed for rapid deployment. The aperture cover or restraint structure is prepared in advance and can be quickly actuated to release the booms simultaneously, minimizing deployment time while maintaining protection during stowage and launch phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The restraint mechanism is integrated with the deployment mechanism itself, combining the protective function with the deployment function. This integration allows the same structural elements to serve dual purposes: protecting booms during stowage and enabling their rapid deployment, thereby reducing overall system complexity and deployment time.
4Measurement precision
If booms are deployed in orthogonal configurations, then measurement accuracy is improved, but the stowage volume required increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple booms required for orthogonal measurements are nested concentrically or adjacently within the satellite body during stowage. This nesting allows all booms to occupy minimal volume while maintaining their individual structural integrity. During deployment, they extend to their orthogonal positions to enable precise three-dimensional electric field vector measurements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the deployment of multiple booms from a compact satellite form factor, reducing shadowing effects and enhancing measurement accuracy by providing stable, orthogonal booms that can be precisely controlled and aligned for electric field detection, while withstanding thermal and mechanical stresses.
Implementation Method 1
the spool is disposed within the housing and configured to rotate around an axis that is fixed relative to the housing
Implementation Method 2
a spring mechanism coupled with the housing and the first root lock. In some embodiments, the spring mechanism is configured to move the root lock from a location in the stowed configuration into a position near the spool in the deployed configuration
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments of the invention include a boom deployment system. The boom deployment system, for example, may include a housing, a spool, a first boom, and a second boom. The spool may be disposed within the housing and configured to rotate around an axis that is fixed relative to the housing. The first boom and/or the second boom may have a cylindrical shape in a deployed configuration, a flattened shape in a stowed configuration, and a slit that extends along the longitudinal length of the boom in the deployed configuration. The first boom and/or the second boom may be stowed in the stowed configuration flattened and wrapped around the spool. The first boom and/or the second boom may transition from the stowed configuration to the deployed configuration as the spool rotates around the axis.