Method for packing and unpacking a spacecraft membrane, spacecraft membrane package and spacecraft membrane handling unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10934024-B2
Application number	US-201815876646-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2018
Priority date	Jan 23, 2017
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

In a method for packing a spacecraft membrane (1) which in a plane of extension comprises a longitudinal axis between opposite longitudinal corners (4) and a transverse axis running transverse to the longitudinal axis and through transverse corners into a spacecraft membrane package, two packing steps are executed: In a first packing step, the spacecraft membrane (1) is packed into a transverse package (9) along the transverse axis. In a second packing step, the transverse package (9) is packed into a longitudinal package along a longitudinal axis. The packing of the spacecraft membrane (1) in the first packing step comprises a packing of material of the spacecraft membrane (1) from or on both sides of the longitudinal axis. In the first packing step, the spacecraft membrane (1) is packed in such a way that in the created transverse package (9) the transverse corners are freely accessible. In the second packing step, the transverse package (9) is packed in such a way that in the created longitudinal package the longitudinal corners (4) are freely accessible. The longitudinal package is unpacked by pulling on the longitudinal corners (4). Subsequently, the transverse package (9) is unpacked by pulling on the transverse corners.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for packing a spacecraft membrane into a spacecraft membrane package and for unpacking the spacecraft membrane package, the spacecraft membrane in a plane of extension comprising a longitudinal axis between opposite longitudinal corners and a transverse axis running transverse to the longitudinal axis and through opposite transverse corners, where
packing the spacecraft membrane comprises the following steps:
a first packing step in which
the spacecraft membrane is packed into a transverse package along the transverse axis, where
material of the spacecraft membrane is packed from both sides of the longitudinal axis and where
the spacecraft membrane is packed in such a way that in the created transverse package the transverse corners are freely accessible, and

a second packing step in which
the transverse package is packed into a longitudinal package along the longitudinal axis, where
the transverse package is packed in such a way that in the created longitudinal package the longitudinal corners are freely accessible;
the transverse package being wound to the longitudinal package after folding the transverse package at a non-centrally arranged folding edge, the freely accessible longitudinal corners being arranged on opposite sides of the circumference of the winding formed by the longitudinal package; and

unpacking the spacecraft membrane comprises the following steps:
a first unpacking step in which a pulling force is exerted onto the longitudinal corners, in which way the longitudinal package is unpacked, and
a second unpacking step subsequent to the first unpacking step in which a pulling force is exerted onto the transverse corners, in which way the transverse package is unpacked.

2. A method for packing a spacecraft membrane into a spacecraft membrane package and for unpacking the spacecraft membrane package, the spacecraft membrane in a plane of extension comprising a longitudinal axis between opposite longitudinal corners and a transverse axis running transverse to the longitudinal axis and through opposite transverse corners, where
packing the spacecraft membrane comprises the following steps:
a first packing step in which
the spacecraft membrane is packed into a transverse package along the transverse axis, where
material of the spacecraft membrane is packed from both sides of the longitudinal axis and where
the spacecraft membrane is packed in such a way that in the created transverse package the transverse corners are freely accessible, and

a second packing step in which
the transverse package is packed into a longitudinal package along the longitudinal axis, where
the transverse package is packed in such a way that in the created longitudinal package the longitudinal corners are freely accessible; and

unpacking the spacecraft membrane comprises the following steps:
a first unpacking step in which a pulling force is exerted onto the longitudinal corners, in which way the longitudinal package is unpacked, and

a second unpacking step subsequent to the first unpacking step in which a pulling force is exerted onto the transverse corners, in which way the transverse package is unpacked:
the spacecraft membrane comprises spring elements which lie in the region of folding edges and which bias the spacecraft membrane into an at least partially packed or at least partially unpacked state.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the spacecraft membrane is square.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal corners and transverse corners of the spacecraft membrane are fixed to extendable masts so that the pulling force exerted onto the longitudinal corners in the first unpacking step for unpacking the longitudinal package and onto the transverse corners in the second unpacking step for unpacking the transverse package may be exerted by extending the masts.

5. A spacecraft membrane handling unit with a spacecraft membrane package with
a spacecraft membrane which
in a plane of extension comprises a longitudinal axis between opposite longitudinal corners and a transverse axis running transverse to the longitudinal axis and through opposite transverse corners and
is in a packed state, in which
material of the spacecraft membrane from both sides of the longitudinal axis is packed into a longitudinal package along the longitudinal axis, the longitudinal corners being freely accessible in the longitudinal package, and
the longitudinal package is packed into a transverse package along the transverse axis, the transverse corners being freely accessible in the transverse package,
the transverse package being wound to the longitudinal package afer folding the transverse package at non-centrally arranged folding edge, the freely accessible longitudinal corners being arranged on opposite sides of the circumference of the winding formed by the longitudinal package; and

extendable masts,
to which the longitudinal corners and transverse corners of the spacecraft membrane are affixed,
the longitudinal corners being affixed to extendable longitudinal masts of the extendable masts and the transverse corners being affixed to extendable transverse masts of the extendable masts, and

an extension unit for extending the masts, wherein the extension unit is configured to
first extend the longitudinal masts so that a pulling force is exerted onto the longitudinal corners by the extending longitudinal masts and thus the longitudinal package is unpacked and
subsequently extend the transverse masts so that a pulling force is exerted onto the transverse corners by the extending transverse masts and thus the transverse package is unpacked.

6. A method for packing a spacecraft membrane into a spacecraft membrane package and for unpacking the spacecraft membrane package, the spacecraft membrane in a plane of extension comprising a longitudinal axis between opposite longitudinal corners and a transverse axis running transverse to the longitudinal axis and through opposite transverse corners, where
packing the spacecraft membrane comprises the following steps:
a first packing step in which
the spacecraft membrane is packed into a transverse package along the transverse axis, where
material of the spacecraft membrane is packed from both sides of the longitudinal axis and where
the spacecraft membrane is packed in such a way that in the created transverse package the transverse corners are freely accessible, and

a second packing step in which
the transverse package is packed into a longitudinal package along the longitudinal axis, where
the transverse package is packed in such a way that in the created longitudinal package the longitudinal corners are freely accessible;
the longitudinal package being formed by zigzag foldings in the way of an accordion on both sides of the transverse axis, the zigzag foldings extending substantially perpendicular to a plane of extension of the spacecraft membrane defined by the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis; and

unpacking the spacecraft membrane comprises the following steps:
a first unpacking step in which a pulling force is exerted onto the longitudinal corners, in which way the longitudinal package is unpacked, and
a second unpacking step subsequent to the first unpacking step in which a pulling force is exerted onto the transverse corners, in which way the transverse package is unpacked.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the transverse package comprises zigzag foldings on both sides of the longitudinal axis.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the foldings each are folded from the longitudinal corner up to a bridge part of the spacecraft membrane package that is not packed.

9. The me

Assignees

• Deutsch Zentr Luft & Raumfahrt

Inventors

• Reershemius Siebo
• Spietz Peter

Classifications

• B64G1/407 Primary

  Solar sailing · CPC title

• B64G1/2229 Primary

  characterised by the deployment actuating mechanism (inflating B64G1/2227) · CPC title

• B64G1/2222

  Folding · CPC title

• B64G1/66

  Arrangements or adaptations of apparatus or instruments, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B65H45/101

  in combination with laying, i.e. forming a zig-zag pile · CPC title