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ID No : 944   Edit
Title: Technology Challenges and Opportunities for Very Large In-Space Structural Systems
Summary / Review : "Space solar power satellites and other large space systems will require creative and innovative concepts in order to achieve economically viable designs. The mass and volume constraints of current and planned launch vehicles necessitate highly efficient structural systems be developed. In addition, modularity and in-space deployment/construction will be enabling design attributes. While current space systems allocate nearly 20 percent of the mass to the primary structure, the very large space systems of the future must overcome subsystem mass allocations by achieving a level of functional integration not yet realized. A proposed building block approach with two phases is presented to achieve near-term solar power satellite risk reduction with accompanying long-term technology advances. This paper reviews the current challenges of launching and building very large space systems from a structures and materials perspective utilizing recent experience. Promising technology advances anticipated in the coming decades in modularity, material systems, structural concepts, and in-space operations are presented. It is shown that, together, the current challenges and future advances in very large in-space structural systems may provide the technology pull/push necessary to make solar power satellite systems more technically and economically feasible." (Author's abstract)
Author(s) : Belvin, W. Keith; Dorsey, John T.; Watson, Judith J., [Langley Research Center]
Publication Date: 2009
Category(s) : Bases, industry and manufacturing / Construction and structures / Orbital
Products / Zz uncategorized
Products / Powersat / Satellite
Progress Type: A ( A=Analysis only, D=Design, T=Testing, C=Completed or Commercial product )
Web URL : http://hdl.handle.net/2060/20090034149
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NTRS : 20090034149
Other Ref # : LF99-9135
Submitted by : MEP
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