Astro Aerospace Corporation

Trw-astro Aerospace Corporation

Geoff Marks

A boom assembly for a rocket-launched spacecraft, the boom assembly comprising a plurality of rigid sections and a plurality of elastic sections that pivotally connect each of the rigid sections together so as to enable the boom assembly to be folded into a storage configuration and so as to enable the boom assembly to be automatically unfolded into a deployed configuration that provides the spacecraft with a large rigid extending platform. At least one of the rigid sections is mounted to the spacecraft so as to secure the boom assembly to the spacecraft. In one embodiment, a plurality of extendable components, such as solar panels and radar antennae, are mounted to the rigid sections so as to allow for storing and deploying the extendable components. In another embodiment, there may be no components mounted other than a length of wire or a length of metal tape which will allow the boom to act as an antenna. In the storage configuration, the boom assembly is folded about the elastic sections and secured with a releasable tie-down device. This allows the rigid sections to be positioned adjacent each other in an accordion manner so as to enable the boom assembly to be stowed into a small space of a launch vehicle and so as to store elastic energy in the deformed elastic sections. After the spacecraft is launched, the tie-down device is released so as to release the stored elastic energy of the elastic sections, thereby urging the boom assembly into the deployed configuration.

Flattenable foldable boom hinge

An erectable structure truss attachment joint includes a first truss having a casing containing a piston between a flange on the end of the casing and a wedge threadably mounted on an adjustment screw inside the casing. A tension rod passing through the wedge and the piston has a knob extending out of the casing on one end and an end bolt holding a leaf spring against the wedge on the other. A helical spring inside the casing creates pressure between the piston and the tension rod. A second truss has a notched retention wall at one end forming a chamber. The knob of the tension rod is inserted into the chamber to attach the two trusses. When the adjustment screw is tightened, the wedge acts against angled faces of the leaf spring on one side and the piston on the other side to create pressure against the piston and the leaf spring. The leaf spring exerts pressure against the end bolt to pull the tension rod into the interior of the casing. The piston and the knob therefore exert compressive pressure against opposite sides of the retention wall to hold the knob inside the chamber and thereby join the two trusses. The joint may be tightened by an external tool or by a double-action actuator attached to the wall of the casing.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America

Geoff Marks