The Boeing Company

John P Mills

Gary E Lemke

Cecilia G Cantu

Chris J Wasson

Satellites having autonomously deployable solar arrays are disclosed. A disclosed example satellite includes a solar array, a sensor to detect that the satellite has exited a launch vehicle, a processor to, based on the satellite exiting the launch vehicle, enable release of magnets or locks of an array, a release controller to control the release of the magnets or the locks of the array based on a release sequence to autonomously deploy the solar array, and a sequence analyzer to adapt the release sequence during execution of the release sequence, wherein adapting the release sequence includes changing an order in which the magnets or the locks of the array are released based on a degree to which the solar array is unfolded.

Satellites having autonomously deployable solar arrays

Satellites having autonomously deployable solar arrays are disclosed. A disclosed example satellite includes a solar array, a sensor to detect that the satellite has exited a launch vehicle, a processor to enable ignition of squibs of a squib array based on the satellite exiting the launch vehicle, and a squib controller to control the ignition of the squibs based on a firing sequence of the squibs, where the squib controller is to vary the firing sequence to autonomously deploy the solar array.

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Hermosa Beach, CA, United States of America

John P Mills