Author Topic: SAW extension mechanism  (Read 11117 times)

Offline swhitt

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SAW extension mechanism
« on: 01/09/2007 05:45 pm »
While viewing the pictures of the Solar Array Wings last month, while the crew was having troubles getting the SAW to retract, I was unable to see the mechanism that was used for extending and retracting the wings. I could see the guy wires and grommets that were causing the problems. I could see a wire mechanism in between the two blankets, but it looked more like a support element for when the arrays were fully extended, not the mechanism that actually did the extending and retraction.

Any idea on how this works?

Steve
« Last Edit: 09/26/2008 08:50 am by Chris Bergin »
Steve Whitt

Offline Jim

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Re: SAW extension mechanism
« Reply #1 on: 01/09/2007 06:15 pm »
The "astro" mast  in the middle extends and retracts.  It is  "collapsible"

Offline Felonator

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RE: SAW extension mechanism
« Reply #2 on: 01/09/2007 06:16 pm »
Hey, I am no expert so pls correct me if i am wrong. I have just had a good look at it and it seems that its all to do with the framework that runs paralel to each wing. If you look at the pics i have posted you can see the framework. It seems that this framework folds up. like stacking up its self. So to retract it you would simply just wind in the cable for framework in. I will try and make more sense of what i just put and some people can jump in with more. Hopefully this is a start! :)

Mike

Ah seems Jim Beat me to it, and there is ur answer. I think i was on the right lines, Jim is the "Framework" i refer to called the "Astro" Mast?

:)   Cheers


Offline Jim

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RE: SAW extension mechanism
« Reply #3 on: 01/09/2007 06:20 pm »
Quote
Felonator - 9/1/2007  1:59 PM
It seems that this framework folds up. like stacking up its self. So to retract it you would simply just wind in the cable for framework in. I will try and make more sense of what i just put and some people can jump in with more

The mast extends and retracts by twisting, not by a cable pulling it in

Offline Felonator

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Re: SAW extension mechanism
« Reply #4 on: 01/09/2007 06:25 pm »
Ah! Cheers Jim. I could see how pulling would retract but not deploy it. Very clever indeed, Thanks for quick response. :)

Also i put this video on youtube,   if you check the beggining you can see the last moments of the retract and see the mast very close up.

is this the same thing?? http://www.st.northropgrumman.com/astro-aerospace/SiteFiles/_docs/pdfs/DS-307-SelfDeployedAstroMast.pdf


Offline swhitt

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RE: SAW extension mechanism
« Reply #5 on: 01/09/2007 06:59 pm »
Wow!!! That thing looks so flimsy when the retraction was happening. I just could not see it as the mechanism. However, after seeing the factsheet, it sure looks like that is it.

Thanks.

Steve
Steve Whitt

Offline Fuji

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Re: RE: SAW extension mechanism
« Reply #6 on: 03/20/2009 02:17 pm »
It's not ISS mast, but may be helpful.

http://www.aec-able.com/Booms/coilboom.html
 

Offline rocketguy101

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David

Offline Fequalsma

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Re: SAW extension mechanism
« Reply #8 on: 04/06/2009 04:04 am »
The SAW backbone truss is the AEC-Able Engineering (now ATK Space Systems, Goleta, CA) FAST (Folding Articulated Square Truss) Mast, also used on the Tethered Satellite System (STS-46 and -75). 

The FAST Mast is a very clever design.  When stowed, the truss members in every other batten (the square face normal to the long axis of the beam) are buckled, and this stored energy is then used to stabilize the deployed truss by tensioning the face diagonal cables in each truss bay.  Note that the mast does NOT twist as it deploys, unlike other truss booms.  And it does NOT use a cable deployment mechanism, but rather a rotating nut to sequentially deploy each truss bay.

For all the gory details, see NASA TM-106895, TM-106944 (both on NTRS), www.mech.kth.se/~gunnart/TibertDocThesis.pdf, or http://www.atk.com/Customer_Solutions_SpaceSystems/cs_ss_subsys_dtb.asp.

F=ma
« Last Edit: 04/06/2009 04:30 am by Fequalsma »

Offline Nascent Ascent

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Re: SAW extension mechanism
« Reply #9 on: 04/06/2009 04:13 am »
There's a similar extensible mast used on the Mars Phoenix Lander on the Panoramic Camera.

http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/images.php?gID=85&cID=2
« Last Edit: 04/06/2009 04:23 am by Nascent Ascent »

Offline Fequalsma

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Re: SAW extension mechanism
« Reply #10 on: 04/07/2009 10:46 pm »
Found another paper on the FASTMast and the
other masts proposed for the SS solar arrays.
Here's the first page from AIAA.
F=ma

Offline Fequalsma

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Re: SAW extension mechanism
« Reply #11 on: 04/07/2009 10:49 pm »
It's not an "astro" mast.  Astro is/was a different company.
And Elroy's dog.

The "astro" mast  in the middle extends and retracts.  It is  "collapsible"

Offline Jim

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Re: SAW extension mechanism
« Reply #12 on: 04/08/2009 02:16 am »
It's not an "astro" mast.  Astro is/was a different company.
And Elroy's dog.


It is a generic term

Offline Fequalsma

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Re: SAW extension mechanism
« Reply #13 on: 04/08/2009 03:28 am »

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