Solaero Technologies Corp.

Vanguard Space Technologies, Inc.

Composite Optics, Incorporated

Alliance Spacesystems, Inc.

Theodore G Stern

Kenneth Loyd Steele

Fadel Hernandez

Matthew Wrosch

Eric McNaul

Duane Eric Krumweide

Stephen Leonard Engelson Wyatt

A method of fabricating an airfoil, and the airfoil or airfoil skin so fabricated, including a solar cell array arranged on the surface of the airfoil by providing and utilizing an assembly fixture having a smooth, concave surface. An uncured supporting film composed of a composite material (such as a carbon fiber composite) is mounted directly on the back side of the solar cells; and the film of composite material is co-cured on the assembly fixture so that the array of interconnected solar cells is bonded to the supporting film. The bonded and cured film of composite material and an array of interconnected solar cells is then removed from the assembly fixture.

Assembly and mounting of solar cells on airfoils

The present disclosure provides, among other things, a deployable solar array comprising: an array of electromagnetic transducer devices such as photovoltaic devices; and a flexible, elongated, rectangular sheet for supporting the array of electromagnetic transducer devices composed of a composite laminate having a predetermined pattern of graphite fiber plies which impart a predefined tension in the planar surface of the sheet so that it curls into a planar sheet with a uniform radius of curvature along its major axis.

Deployable solar array for small spacecraft

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a power management system for a space vehicle, the system including: a photovoltaic array including a plurality of panels, wherein each panel includes one or more solar cell strings, each solar cell string including a plurality of photovoltaic cells connected in series to produce direct current (DC) power; at least one regulator module disposed on each of the one or more solar cell strings, the at least one regulator module being configured to condition the DC power produced by the one or more solar cell strings in the panel and supply it through at least one electrical connection line to the electrical power harness to route said power to a root power management unit; and an interface configured to transfer power produced by the photovoltaic array from the root power management unit to the vehicle, the interface having a first end configured to be connectable with the vehicle and a second end configured to be connectable with the photovoltaic array.

Power management system for space photovoltaic arrays

The present disclosure describes a method of deploying an extensible boom from a housing. Sheets supporting respective arrays of photovoltaic devices are deployed substantially simultaneously so that a first sheet is deployed in a first direction from the housing and a second sheet is deployed in an opposite direction from the housing. Angular momentum imparted by deploying the first sheet is canceled by angular momentum imparted by deploying the second sheet. The housing can be part of a space satellite, such that the first and second sheets are deployed without causing the satellite to move out of its orbit.

Method for releasing a deployable boom

A method of fabricating a solar cell array on the surface of a support by providing an assembly fixture having a smooth, concave surface; mounting a film composed of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) directly on the surface of the fixture; mounting a film composed of a non-crosslinked silicone pressure sensitive adhesive directly over the ETFE film; mounting an array of interconnected solar cells directly over the adhesive film. An uncured supporting film composed of a composite material is mounted directly on the back side of the solar cells; and the film of composite material is co-cured so that the array of interconnected solar cells is bonded to the supporting film. The bonded and cured film of composite material and an array of interconnected solar cells with the ETFE film is then removed from the assembly fixture.

A retractable and re-deployable assembly is provided for collecting electromagnetic energy, for instance in outer space. The assembly has two layers: a first layer comprising a substrate and a second layer comprising an array of electromagnetic transducers. The second layer may further include a plurality of panels, each of which has a proximal edge and a distal edge opposite to the proximal edge. The panels also have a reflective surface and opposite the reflective surface a collector surface on which the array of electromagnetic transducers is disposed. The panels may be flexible and pre-formed to a cylindrical parabolic shape such that when this embodiment is in the deployed configuration, the edge of the panel curls away from the substrate layer because of the pre-formed parabolic shape, thus helping focus the energy on the transducers.

Assembly for collecting electromagnetic energy

A retractable and re-deployable boom assembly is provided for collecting electromagnetic energy, for instance in outer space. The assembly may include a boom having a deployable length and a first layer comprising a flexible substrate formed in a lenticular shape that elastically deforms, and a second layer thereon comprising an array of electromagnetic transducers, which may be positioned on adjacent flexible parabolic reflectors. The assembly may be placed into at least two different configurations: a stowed configuration where the majority of the length is elastically deformed; and a deployed configuration where the majority of the length is not deformed, and where the lenticular shape of the boom provides it with rigidity. The assembly may also have a rotational drive mechanism.

Deployable boom for collecting electromagnetic energy

A mirror for terrestrial or aerospace application has a substrate, which is preferably of a laminate of a plurality of Graphite Fiber Reinforced Composite (GFRC) uni-directional fiber plies applied in a laminate with layers oriented to achieve appropriate stable properties. The substrate is cured to form the desired shape with a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. A front buffering layer is immediately adjacent to and contiguous with the substrate on the first surface. The front buffer layer is of a material that buffers the surface morphology of the first surface of the substrate. A front specularizing layer is immediately adjacent to and contiguous with the front buffer layer. The specularizing layer is of a material for providing a smooth, low scatter optical surface. The specularizing layer can use an integral aluminized surface or an added vacuum deposited optical thin film coating for enhanced optical properties and durability. The mirror further has a rear buffering layer which is immediately adjacent to and contiguous with the second surface of the substrate. Finally, the mirror has a rear film which is immediately adjacent to and contiguous with the buffering layer. The material for the rear buffering layer can be the same material as that for the front buffering layer, and the material for the rear film can be the same material as that for the front specularizing layer, so as to balance the Coefficient of Thermal Expansions (CTE) of the front layers.

Mirror and a method of manufacturing thereof

Provided are methods of manufacturing an electrostatically clean solar array panel and the products resulting from the practice of these methods. The preferred method uses an array of solar cells, each with a coverglass where the method includes machining apertures into a flat, electrically conductive sheet so that each aperture is aligned with and undersized with respect to its matched coverglass sheet and thereby fashion a front side shield with apertures (FSA). The undersized portion about each aperture of the bottom side of the FSA shield is bonded to the topside portions nearest the edges of each aperture's matched coverglass. Edge clips are attached to the front side aperture shield edges with the edge clips electrically and mechanically connecting the tops of the coverglasses to the solar panel substrate. The FSA shield, edge clips and substrate edges are bonded so as to produce a conductively grounded electrostatically clean solar array panel.

Electrostatically clean solar array

A high efficiency, light weight solar concentrator array particularly suitable for use with space vehicles. Parallel rows of mirror assemblies are mounted on a base plate having high thermal conductivity. Each mirror assembly comprises back-to-back mirror strips having reflecting front faces. Photovoltaic cells are placed ion the base plate between rows of mirror assemblies. The reflecting faces reflect incident light to the photovoltaic cells to produce electric power. Preferably, the reflecting faces have a cylindrical parabolic configuration with a line of focus approximately along the interface between the photovoltaic cell and the edge of the opposite mirror strip adjacent to the cell. The mirror strips may typically be roll formed from metal strips, cast from fiber reinforced plastic material and coated with a reflecting layers, etc. The rows may be mounted on the base plate by strips across the ends of mirror assemblies, or by additional mirror assemblies arranged transverse to the original mirror assembles.

Growing community of inventors

El Cajon, CA, United States of America

Theodore G Stern