The Boeing Company

Miguel A Estevez

Frederick Theodore Calkins

James Henry Mabe

Gary E Lemke

Abraham Naroll Gissen

Jason D Flathom

Eric S Mindock

Dennis Yoichi Nakasone

Elvis D Silva

Christopher P Volk

John Baldauf

William J Ceely

Tom M Hikido

An apparatus includes a thermally conductive interface assembly including a first component associated with a first interface surface and a second component associated with a second interface surface. The apparatus also includes a shape memory alloy component coupled to the thermally conductive interface assembly and configured to move one or more components of the thermally conductive interface assembly between a first state and a second state based on a temperature of the shape memory alloy component. In the first state, the first interface surface is in physical contact with the second interface surface, and in the second state, a gap is defined between the first interface surface and the second interface surface.

System and method for shape memory alloy thermal interface

A spacecraft system includes a plurality of spacecraft in a stack. The stack has one or more layers, each layer includes at least two spacecraft, and each spacecraft is releasably coupled to one or more adjacent spacecraft in the stack. The spacecraft system also includes a controller configured to, for each layer, (i) cause the layer to release from the stack, and (ii) after the layer releases from the stack, cause the at least two spacecraft in the layer to release from each other.

Systems and methods for deploying a spacecraft arrangement

Foldable dipole array antennas are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes a helical communication line of a dipole array antenna, and hinges spaced along the helical communication line. The apparatus also includes dipole branches operatively coupled to the helical communication line, where the dipole branches are to be moved, at the hinges, between deployed and un-deployed states.

Foldable dipole array antennas

Systems and methods for deploying spacecraft

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Los Angeles, CA, United States of America

Miguel A Estevez