A space-based solar power station, a power generating satellite module and/or a method for collecting solar radiation and transmitting power generated using electrical current produced therefrom is provided. Each solar power station includes a plurality of satellite modules. The plurality of satellite modules each include a plurality of modular power generation tiles including a photovoltaic solar radiation collector, a power transmitter and associated control electronics. The power transmitters can be coordinated as a phased array and the power generated by the phased array is transmitted to one or more power receivers to achieve remote wireless power generation and delivery. Each satellite module may be formed of a compactable structure capable of reducing the payload area required to deliver the satellite module to an orbital formation within the space-based solar power station.

A foil deployment mechanism comprises a first drum rotatable about a first longitudinal axis, and a second drum rotatable about a second longitudinal axis. The foil deployment mechanism further comprises a cable, the cable comprising a first section which extends from a lower part of the second drum to an upper part of the first drum, a second section which is wound around a part of the first drum facing away from the second drum, a third section which extends from a lower part of the first drum to an upper part of the second drum, and a fourth section which is wound around a part of the second drum facing away from the first drum, wherein the first section and the third section intersect each other between the first drum and the second drum when being viewed along the first longitudinal axis.

A telescopic boom and reflector assembly for a spacecraft that includes a telescopic boom having a plurality of boom sections that are nested together within a prime batten or where the prime batten is attached to an outermost section of the boom when the boom is in a stowed position, where an innermost and smallest diameter section of the boom is secured to the spacecraft to facilitate testing and integration of the boom and reflector as a unitized assembly. The assembly also includes a reflector having a truss structure configured to allow the reflector to be collapsed into a stowed configuration, where the reflector is mounted to the prime batten. The assembly is configured to be deployed from the spacecraft by releasing the boom in a telescopic manner where the boom sections increase in diameter from the spacecraft outward when the boom is deployed.

A sparse-isogrid columnar lattice structure including rigid ring frames connected by a mirrored symmetric double helix pattern comprised of first shell hinge elements in a first helical pattern and second shell hinge elements in a second helical pattern oriented in an opposite direction to the first helical pattern and congruent thereto. The helical axes of the first and second helical patterns intersect the respective centers of the ring frames. The first and second shell hinge elements are configured to stow in a stored energy state when the ring frames are collapsed toward one another along the helical axis, and the first and second shell hinge elements are configured to release the stored energy to deploy to a restored state and extend the ring frames apart from each other along the helical axis when deployed to form a stable rigid axial column in a restored state.

A satellite system can include one or more satellites that orbit the Earth. The one or more satellites may have satellite buses that support antenna arrays. The antenna arrays may include space fed arrays. Each space fed array may have an antenna feed array and an inner array that is coupled to a direct radiating array. The direct radiating array may operate in the same satellite band as the space fed array, or upconversion and downconversion circuitry may be used to communicatively couple a direct radiating array that operates in a different satellite band to the space fed array. The satellites may have peripheral walls with corner fittings that can be selected to provide the satellite bus with particular leg strengths. This can reduce overall mass of the satellites in a payload fairing while accommodating different types of antenna arrays.

Passively deployable thermal management devices, systems, and methods are provided in accordance with various embodiments. For example, some embodiments include a passively deployable radiator device that may include: one or more thermally conductive layers; and/or one or more strain energy components configured to deploy passively the one or more thermally conductive layers. The one or more thermally conductive layers may include one or more carbon layers. The one or more carbon layers may include at least one or more graphite layers or one or more graphene layers. At least the one or more graphite layers or the one or more graphene layers include at least one or more pyrolytic graphite sheets or one or more pyrolytic graphene sheets.

A system for compact stowage and deployment of a flexible solar array includes a deployer unit and a blanket container for containing the flexible solar array. The deployer unit includes a frame, a closed-section collapsible mast for deploying and supporting the solar array, a mast stowage reel for supporting the mast in a collapsed stowed state, and an actuator to drive the mast from the stowed state to a deployed state. The frame has a first section extending along a vertical plane and a second section extending along a horizontal plane. The blanket container is pivotably coupled to the frame of the deployer unit. In a stowed state, the blanket container is oriented facing the second section of the frame. In a deployed state, the blanket container is oriented parallel to the vertical plane, and perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the mast.

Methods, systems, and devices for furlable antenna blade components are provided in accordance with various embodiments. For example, some embodiments include a device that may include one or more furlable antenna blade components; each of the one or more furlable antenna blade components may include one or more conductive elements. In some embodiments, each of the one or more furlable antenna blade components include one or more laminate layers. Some embodiments include a method that may include: furling one or more furlable antenna blade components around a central axis; and/or securing the one or more furlable antennae blade components when in a furled state.

A deployment device intended to be positioned on a bearing structure, includes a first instrument and a second instrument, a deployment mechanism comprising: a main arm connected to a face of the bearing structure at a first attachment point, on the one hand, and to the first instrument on the other hand, the second instrument being connected to the main arm, a main motor configured to actuate the main arm in relation to the face, a secondary motor configured to actuate the second instrument in relation to the main arm, and in that the two instruments are suitable for passing from a stored configuration, one over the other, on the face of the bearing structure, to a deployed configuration wherein the two instruments are at a distance from one another and from the bearing structure, and/or vice versa.

A system for emergency crew return and down-mass orbit comprising a stowable, self-contained, deployable maneuvering reentry vehicle for automated, on-demand reentry to ground for cargo of 1-10 kilograms or up to single or multiple human use for evacuation of orbital facilities. The system includes a deployable aeroshell that is contiguous (a single geometric objectsurface or hollow shapethat can morph in 3D shape), modular (a collection of modular components externally acting as a contiguous shape, but morphed in 3D via actuators contained in each modular member to create a general asymmetric geometry), or discontiguous (a collection of independently controlled surfaces or bodies that morph to form desirable asymmetric drag configurations). The system contains traditional spacecraft guidance, navigation and control, propulsion, and attitude control elements, in addition to communications, power, and actuator energetics systems for controlling the vehicle aeroshell shape during reentry, thus, minimizing the landing footprint of the vehicle.