Author Topic: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS  (Read 44425 times)

Offline ThomasF

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Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #20 on: 06/02/2017 07:53 am »
Hi mtlapointe,
Thanks for getting into the discussion here!
I was interested in what kind of cell technologies you are using for the ROSA system, but couldn't find any information online. Are those regular single crystal multi junction devices or are you going for more flexible thin film technologies? Or is this simply a company secret  :)

Offline Space Pete

Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #21 on: 06/02/2017 06:05 pm »
Hi mtlapointe, welcome to the forum!

This is what makes NSF so great - where else on the internet can you get to chat to a Principal Investigatgor of a space experiment! :)

I have a question for you - could ROSA technology be scaled up to enable it to potentially one day serve as a complete replacement for the current ISS arrays (i.e. same power generation capability, not necessarly same size)? Thanks.
NASASpaceflight ISS Editor

Offline JasonAW3

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Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #22 on: 06/02/2017 06:25 pm »
A little confused why the AF calls it a "success story" before it's even tested in space...

Maybe they tested it on one of the classified X-47 flights?
My God!  It's full of universes!

Offline mtlapointe

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Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #23 on: 06/04/2017 02:01 am »
Hi mtlapointe,
Thanks for getting into the discussion here!
I was interested in what kind of cell technologies you are using for the ROSA system, but couldn't find any information online. Are those regular single crystal multi junction devices or are you going for more flexible thin film technologies? Or is this simply a company secret  :)

For most application we would use triple-junction GaAs cells (ZTJ/XTJ cells) with standard coverglass. These give the best combination of cost and cell efficiency, and are what most traditional rigid-panel arrays would use.  However, our ROSA system certainly use flexible thin film technologies or more advance IMM technologies depending on the customers needs.  We also have several different concentrator technologies (reflective and refractive) that we can implement.

Offline mtlapointe

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Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #24 on: 06/04/2017 02:09 am »
Hi mtlapointe, welcome to the forum!

This is what makes NSF so great - where else on the internet can you get to chat to a Principal Investigatgor of a space experiment! :)

I have a question for you - could ROSA technology be scaled up to enable it to potentially one day serve as a complete replacement for the current ISS arrays (i.e. same power generation capability, not necessarly same size)? Thanks.

Yep, ROSA certainly could be used to replace or augment the ISS arrays. In fact, since ROSA deploys straight out, with almost no additional swept volume vs. deployed volume, it would be a great solution for ISS. Since the current ISS arrays use older, lower efficiency silicon cells (that are peppered with MMOD strikes), the new arrays could be much smaller to provide enough power to keep ISS running.  Let's hope NASA decides to keep ISS up and running!!

 
« Last Edit: 06/04/2017 05:32 pm by mtlapointe »

Offline mtlapointe

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Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #25 on: 06/04/2017 02:11 am »
A little confused why the AF calls it a "success story" before it's even tested in space...

Maybe they tested it on one of the classified X-47 flights?

I can neither confirm, nor deny this  ;)

Offline mtlapointe

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Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #26 on: 06/04/2017 02:17 am »
Hi mtlapointe, welcome to the forum!

This is what makes NSF so great - where else on the internet can you get to chat to a Principal Investigatgor of a space experiment! :)

Oh and thanks for the welcoming!  I don't know how I had never stumbled upon NSF before! And I'm equally surprised to see all the interest in our technology. Great coverage of the launch - seems like you can get better info here than some of our inside sources!

Attached is a snap shot of our hardware after the Dragon 2nd stage sep today. Our nominal schedule is removal from the trunk in about 2 weeks, with our demo mission beginning shortly after.  We hope to have portions of the demo streaming live on NASA TV so stay tuned.

Offline centaurinasa

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Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #27 on: 06/13/2017 09:41 am »
... Our nominal schedule is removal from the trunk in about 2 weeks, with our demo mission beginning shortly after.  We hope to have portions of the demo streaming live on NASA TV so stay tuned.
Looking forward to to see this, now that MUSES is installed and soon NICER ...
« Last Edit: 06/14/2017 07:20 am by centaurinasa »
To boldly go where no human has gone before !

Offline Olaf

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Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #28 on: 06/13/2017 10:04 am »
... Our nominal schedule is removal from the trunk in about 2 weeks, with our demo mission beginning shortly after.  We hope to have portions of the demo streaming live on NASA TV so stay tuned.
Looking forward to to see this, now that MUSES and NICER are installed ...
I thought we are waiting for installing NICER today evening.

Offline Star One

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Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #29 on: 06/13/2017 10:21 am »
... Our nominal schedule is removal from the trunk in about 2 weeks, with our demo mission beginning shortly after.  We hope to have portions of the demo streaming live on NASA TV so stay tuned.
Looking forward to to see this, now that MUSES and NICER are installed ...
I thought we are waiting for installing NICER today evening.

We are.

Offline gongora

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Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #30 on: 06/13/2017 01:02 pm »
How is the deployment speed controlled for ROSA?

Offline eeergo

Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #31 on: 06/13/2017 01:26 pm »
How is the deployment speed controlled for ROSA?

For deployment, it is reportedly purely controlled by insolation, which causes thermal heating and eventually, exceedance of the glass transition temperature over which the Elastic Memory Composite material releases its stored energy. So it should be a matter of precisely controlling solar insolation attitude over the array.

For retraction, it is mechanically controlled by an incorporated motor, required for re-stowage after the demonstration is completed.

Of course this is just from reading publicly-available sources, possibly Mtlapointe has better info :)
-DaviD-

Offline gongora

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Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #32 on: 06/13/2017 01:31 pm »
How is the deployment speed controlled for ROSA?

For deployment, it is reportedly purely controlled by insolation, which causes thermal heating and eventually, exceedance of the glass transition temperature over which the Elastic Memory Composite material releases its stored energy. So it should be a matter of precisely controlling solar insolation attitude over the array.

For retraction, it is mechanically controlled by an incorporated motor, required for re-stowage after the demonstration is completed.

Of course this is just from reading publicly-available sources, possibly Mtlapointe has better info :)

mtlapointe already said this earlier:
Quote
No, that design is not the same as ROSA.  We use composite booms that self-deploy with their own strain energy.  We don't use EMC materials.

Offline eeergo

Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #33 on: 06/13/2017 02:47 pm »
How is the deployment speed controlled for ROSA?

For deployment, it is reportedly purely controlled by insolation, which causes thermal heating and eventually, exceedance of the glass transition temperature over which the Elastic Memory Composite material releases its stored energy. So it should be a matter of precisely controlling solar insolation attitude over the array.

For retraction, it is mechanically controlled by an incorporated motor, required for re-stowage after the demonstration is completed.

Of course this is just from reading publicly-available sources, possibly Mtlapointe has better info :)

mtlapointe already said this earlier:
Quote
No, that design is not the same as ROSA.  We use composite booms that self-deploy with their own strain energy.  We don't use EMC materials.

You're right, I hadn't read it quite carefully enough.

Although the question then is: what is the difference between the "Elastic Memory Composites" ROSA does not use, and the "strain energy composites" it does use?
-DaviD-

Offline Olaf

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Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #34 on: 06/13/2017 05:57 pm »
https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2017/06/13/cargo-ship-ready-for-launch-as-robotic-arm-unloads-dragon-experiments/
Quote
A third experiment will be extracted June 17 to test a new advanced solar array. The roll-out solar array, or ROSA, rolls out like a tape measure with solar cells on a flexible blanket. The ROSA, which could power future NASA spaceships and communication satellites, will be stowed back inside Dragon’s trunk after seven days of data collection while attached to the station’s robotic arm.

Offline mtlapointe

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Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #35 on: 06/13/2017 06:45 pm »
... Our nominal schedule is removal from the trunk in about 2 weeks, with our demo mission beginning shortly after.  We hope to have portions of the demo streaming live on NASA TV so stay tuned.
Looking forward to to see this, now that MUSES and NICER are installed ...

We are waiting for the arrival of Progress before being extracted, so we should be starting in a few more days.

Offline mtlapointe

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Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #36 on: 06/13/2017 06:50 pm »
How is the deployment speed controlled for ROSA?

For deployment, it is reportedly purely controlled by insolation, which causes thermal heating and eventually, exceedance of the glass transition temperature over which the Elastic Memory Composite material releases its stored energy. So it should be a matter of precisely controlling solar insolation attitude over the array.

For retraction, it is mechanically controlled by an incorporated motor, required for re-stowage after the demonstration is completed.

Of course this is just from reading publicly-available sources, possibly Mtlapointe has better info :)

mtlapointe already said this earlier:
Quote
No, that design is not the same as ROSA.  We use composite booms that self-deploy with their own strain energy.  We don't use EMC materials.

You're right, I hadn't read it quite carefully enough.

Although the question then is: what is the difference between the "Elastic Memory Composites" ROSA does not use, and the "strain energy composites" it does use?

We use thin composites - carbon fiber, fiberglass, etc. - to provide deployment force.

Offline mtlapointe

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Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #37 on: 06/13/2017 06:55 pm »
How is the deployment speed controlled for ROSA?

We use traditional dampers to control the speed, similar to what would be used on a rigid panel array hinge-line. The specific type (viscous, ECD, friction) depends on the application.  We could also use motors to control the deployment, but we prefer passive dampers for simplicity.

To retract the array, we use a motor and lanyard to "reel in" the array.

Offline Prettz

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Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #38 on: 06/13/2017 08:48 pm »
This seems like a pretty early technology test, given the short stay on station. Assuming all goes well, what is the next step?

Offline russianhalo117

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Re: Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) headed to the ISS
« Reply #39 on: 06/13/2017 09:02 pm »
This seems like a pretty early technology test, given the short stay on station. Assuming all goes well, what is the next step?
launch a demonstration sat is most likely the next logical orbital step.

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