Interfacing Sail Modules for Use with “Space Tugs”
The paper introduces and describes the recent and still ongoing development activities performed in Luxembourg for In-Orbit Attach Mechanisms for (Drag) Sails Modules to be operated from Space Tugs. After some preparatory work aiming at understanding the possible operational aspects and implications...
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doaj-b03ec04eb461468e94f508e9d000b7b92020-11-24T22:05:46ZengMDPI AGAerospace2226-43102018-05-01524810.3390/aerospace5020048aerospace5020048Interfacing Sail Modules for Use with “Space Tugs”Florio Dalla Vedova0Pierre Morin1Thibault Roux2Roberta Brombin3Alberto Piccinini4Nigel Ramsden5LuxSpace S.à.r.l (OHB S.E. Group), Betzdorf 6832, LuxembourgLuxSpace S.à.r.l (OHB S.E. Group), Betzdorf 6832, LuxembourgLuxSpace S.à.r.l (OHB S.E. Group), Betzdorf 6832, LuxembourgLuxSpace S.à.r.l (OHB S.E. Group), Betzdorf 6832, LuxembourgFANUC Luxembourg, Echternach 6468, LuxembourgFANUC Luxembourg, Echternach 6468, LuxembourgThe paper introduces and describes the recent and still ongoing development activities performed in Luxembourg for In-Orbit Attach Mechanisms for (Drag) Sails Modules to be operated from Space Tugs. After some preparatory work aiming at understanding the possible operational aspects and implications of mating interfaces between these space systems, three possible designs of In-Orbit Attach Mechanisms have been proposed and completed for their 3D (Metal and Plastic) Printing, a new manufacturing technology assessed within this project. The Plastic-printed prototype underwent a series of automated tests in which a robotic arm, equipped with an advanced force sensor, replicated four docking scenarii in ideal and degraded modes. The observation of the forces and torque behaviors at and after impact allowed one to characterize the typical patterns for the various contacts but also, to identify a type of potentially dramatic impact for the safety of the docking and its equipment: in the case of the off-axis approach, “point” contacts shall be avoided, as they instantaneously transfer the total kinetic energy in a small area that could break.http://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/5/2/48spaceborne saildrag sailsolar sailspace tugdockingberthingdebris mitigation(active) debris removalspace resources (mining)stopover cycler |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Florio Dalla Vedova Pierre Morin Thibault Roux Roberta Brombin Alberto Piccinini Nigel Ramsden |
spellingShingle |
Florio Dalla Vedova Pierre Morin Thibault Roux Roberta Brombin Alberto Piccinini Nigel Ramsden Interfacing Sail Modules for Use with “Space Tugs” Aerospace spaceborne sail drag sail solar sail space tug docking berthing debris mitigation (active) debris removal space resources (mining) stopover cycler |
author_facet |
Florio Dalla Vedova Pierre Morin Thibault Roux Roberta Brombin Alberto Piccinini Nigel Ramsden |
author_sort |
Florio Dalla Vedova |
title |
Interfacing Sail Modules for Use with “Space Tugs” |
title_short |
Interfacing Sail Modules for Use with “Space Tugs” |
title_full |
Interfacing Sail Modules for Use with “Space Tugs” |
title_fullStr |
Interfacing Sail Modules for Use with “Space Tugs” |
title_full_unstemmed |
Interfacing Sail Modules for Use with “Space Tugs” |
title_sort |
interfacing sail modules for use with “space tugs” |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Aerospace |
issn |
2226-4310 |
publishDate |
2018-05-01 |
description |
The paper introduces and describes the recent and still ongoing development activities performed in Luxembourg for In-Orbit Attach Mechanisms for (Drag) Sails Modules to be operated from Space Tugs. After some preparatory work aiming at understanding the possible operational aspects and implications of mating interfaces between these space systems, three possible designs of In-Orbit Attach Mechanisms have been proposed and completed for their 3D (Metal and Plastic) Printing, a new manufacturing technology assessed within this project. The Plastic-printed prototype underwent a series of automated tests in which a robotic arm, equipped with an advanced force sensor, replicated four docking scenarii in ideal and degraded modes. The observation of the forces and torque behaviors at and after impact allowed one to characterize the typical patterns for the various contacts but also, to identify a type of potentially dramatic impact for the safety of the docking and its equipment: in the case of the off-axis approach, “point” contacts shall be avoided, as they instantaneously transfer the total kinetic energy in a small area that could break. |
topic |
spaceborne sail drag sail solar sail space tug docking berthing debris mitigation (active) debris removal space resources (mining) stopover cycler |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/5/2/48 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT floriodallavedova interfacingsailmodulesforusewithspacetugs AT pierremorin interfacingsailmodulesforusewithspacetugs AT thibaultroux interfacingsailmodulesforusewithspacetugs AT robertabrombin interfacingsailmodulesforusewithspacetugs AT albertopiccinini interfacingsailmodulesforusewithspacetugs AT nigelramsden interfacingsailmodulesforusewithspacetugs |
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1725824791610392576 |