Trw Limited

Martin M Giebler

William B Palmer

Ramon Coronel

Howard S Eller

A spacecraft avionics module that is for the most part functionally independent of a core spacecraft structure, and provides its own structural integrity, thermal management and some level of power management. The illustrative embodiment of the module is formed as a flat panel that also serves as a thermal radiator. Electronic components are mounted directly onto the panel, which is normally attached by mounting hardware to the core spacecraft structure, through a backbone interface that provides data interconnection between modules and, in some cases, supplies unregulated power to the module. The module may include a power regulation function, or may also include power storage and power generation functions. For complete independence, the module may also include its own attitude control system.

Functionally independent spacecraft module

An offset collapsible/deployable dish having solid, relatively rigid folding panels which are unfoldable to a dish configuration conforming to an offset surface of revolution, such as an offset paraboloid generated about an axis offset from the dish, and foldable to a collapsed configuration contained within an envelope substantially smaller than the rim diameter of the dish. A radiation device utilizing the offset dish as a microwave, optical, or high energy beam reflector.

Deployable offset dish structure

A collapsible dish structure composed of a plurality of rows of rigid radial petal assemblies concentric with the axis of the dish. The petal assemblies consist of a center petal and two side petals, the center petal hinged on an axis tangent to a circle concentric with the axis of the dish and the side petals hinged to the center petal at their mating edge. The center petal is foldable inwardly and the side petals rotate about their hinges such that the collapsed dish structure occupies a much smaller volume than the deployed dish. Means of controlling the shape of the dish to compensate for differential expansion of the deployed dish are also provided.

Growing community of inventors

Redondo Beach, CA, United States of America

Martin M Giebler