Abstract:
Gossamer apparatus and systems for use with spacecraft may include a deployable gossamer apparatus. The deployable gossamer apparatus may include a plurality rib members and gossamer material extending therebetween and may be configured in a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration. The rib members of the deployable gossamer apparatus store potential energy used for deployment of the deployable gossamer apparatus.
Abstract:
A space-based solar power station, a power generating satellite module and/or a method for collecting solar radiation and transmitting power generated using electrical current produced therefrom, and/or compactible structures and deployment mechanisms used to form and deploy such satellite modules and power generation tiles associated therewith are provided. Each satellite module and/or power generation tile may be formed of a compactable structure and deployment mechanism capable of reducing the payload area required to deliver the satellite module to an orbital formation within the space-based solar power station and reliably deploy it once in orbit.
Abstract:
A torque generation system includes: a plurality of solar array panels and/or solar array panel divisions; and a torque controller configured to control an electricity generation ratio of each of the plurality of solar array panels and/or solar array panel divisions to generate torque.
Abstract:
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.
Abstract:
Stored momentum on a spacecraft is managed by determining a target profile of stored momentum as a function of time for the spacecraft; measuring a difference between a momentum value actually stored on the spacecraft and a desired momentum value, where the desired momentum value substantially conforms to the target profile at a particular time; reducing the difference by producing a torque on the spacecraft, where the torque results from selectively controlling at least one solar array position offset angle, the offset angle being an offset of at least one solar array of the spacecraft from a nominal sun pointing direction.
Abstract:
This propulsion system is based on the theory of vacuum propulsion wherein a propulsion System utilizes space vacuum to propel the space ship through space. Vacuum Pumps are used to vacuum in space through the rear of the ship where it is gathered or collected in a pressure chamber. There the collected space is contained while yet more space vacuum is collected. The chamber has a containment valve at the end of the chamber and can be breached after vacuum collected reaches critical mass overcoming the containment valve where it is then released into the hull. This release of the vacuum chamber containment valve and the collected vacuum oozes from the vacuum chamber filling the hull mixing with carbon dioxide and heat changing the nature of space vacuum and creating a propellant fuel for propulsion. The chamber is situated at the rear of the starship.
Abstract:
Stored momentum on a spacecraft is managed by determining a target profile of stored momentum as a function of time for the spacecraft; measuring a difference between a momentum value actually stored on the spacecraft and a desired momentum value, where the desired momentum value substantially conforms to the target profile at a particular time; reducing the difference by producing a torque on the spacecraft, where the torque results from selectively controlling at least one solar array position offset angle, the offset angle being an offset of at least one solar array of the spacecraft from a nominal sun pointing direction.
Abstract:
The effective area of an electric sail depends on the voltage applied to tethers. The use of higher voltages is made possible by moving voltage multipliers to tethers, perhaps 100 meters out from the body of the spacecraft.
Abstract:
A spacecraft propulsion system includes a plurality of wires (102) or other electrically conductive elongated members deployed from a main body (101) into respective radial directions. An electric potential generator (605) generates an electric potential on board the main body (101). The electric coupling between the electric potential generator (605) and the elongated members is controlled (604) so that all or some of the elongated members (102) assume a high positive potential. An auxiliary propulsion system (203) rotates the main body around a rotational axis (502) that is perpendicular to the radial directions, thus creating a centrifugal supporting force to the elongated members.
Abstract:
The invention is a system and method for propellantless, ultrahigh precision satellite formation flying based on ultrahigh precision intracavity laser thrusters and tethers with an intersatellite distance accuracy of nanometers at maximum estimated distances of tens of kilometers. The repelling force of the intracavity laser thruster and the attracting force of tether tension between satellites form the basic forces to stabilize matrix structures of satellites. Users of the present invention can also use the laser thruster for ultrahigh precision laser interferometric metrology, resulting in simplification and payload weight reduction in integrating the thruster system and the metrology system.