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.

Deployable lunar landing pads for space mining applications are disclosed. In one aspect, a landing pad for deployment on a celestial body includes a deployable surface configured to be stored in a stowed configuration on a spacecraft and be deployed into a deployed configuration on a surface of the celestial body, a landing system configured to land the landing pad on the surface of the celestial body, and a control system configured to control the landing system during landing of the landing pad on the surface of the celestial body and control the deployment of the deployable surface. The deployable surface is further configured to reduce or eliminate scattering of loose material from the surface of the celestial body in the deployed configuration.

The PanelSat Launch System consists of PanelSat(s) and it's/their Launcher. It serves to launch one, better several satellites into space, whereby besides unfurling of the thin film solar cell panels off their rolls no further deployment is needed.

PanelSats are small agile spacecraft thought especially for observation and communication services in LEO, which are using their thin film solar cell panels for both, harvesting electric energy as well as for fuel less station keeping, steering, pointing and propulsion.

In contrast to conventional satellites with their 3-axis control design, PanelSats are not locked to only 3 axles and can tilt and point into several directions (depending on the number of panels).

Besides Roller Reefing for fuel less attitude control PanelSats feature Soso Steering (switch on, switch off) which adds even better fuel less agility compared to prior art satellites.

An asymmetric mast is disclosed that can be used for solar arrays. The asymmetric mast can have an asymmetry out of the plane of the solar blanket. The mast may include two or more booms that comprise slit tube longerons. In some embodiments, a single mast can be used with one or two solar blankets.

A tape drive comprises a roll of a tape that can be extended from a rolled state to an extended state. The tape includes a rigid material that supports the tape and a pliable material disposed at least partially on one side of the tape. A compression roller is disposed on a side of the tape and is biased toward the tape. A drive roller is disposed on the other side of the tape. The drive roller comprises an uneven surface that mechanically engages the pliable material of the tape, without protruding through the tape, as a result of the bias of the compression roller forcing the tape toward the drive roller. A motor turns the drive roller to extend the tape from the roll as the protrusions of the uneven surface of the drive roller mechanically engage the pliable material of the tape as the drive roller turns.

The present disclosure describes a method of deploying an extensible boom from a housing. Sheets supporting respective arrays of photovoltaic devices are deployed substantially simultaneously so that a first sheet is deployed in a first direction from the housing and a second sheet is deployed in an opposite direction from the housing. Angular momentum imparted by deploying the first sheet is canceled by angular momentum imparted by deploying the second sheet. The housing can be part of a space satellite, such that the first and second sheets are deployed without causing the satellite to move out of its orbit.

An occulter petal unfurling system including occulter petal unfurler disposed to rotate in relation to an occulter to unfurl a plurality of petals which in an unfurled condition can be used to block or suppress incoming light.

The present disclosure provides, among other things, a deployable solar array comprising: an array of electromagnetic transducer devices such as photovoltaic devices; and a flexible, elongated, rectangular sheet for supporting the array of electromagnetic transducer devices composed of a composite laminate having a predetermined pattern of graphite fiber plies which impart a predefined tension in the planar surface of the sheet so that it curls into a planar sheet with a uniform radius of curvature along its major axis.

A solar generator deployment device includes at least one primary tape-spring supporting a flexible membrane with a set of flexible photovoltaic cells on one face, at least one secondary tape-spring, and a reinforcing structure attached to the primary tape-spring and secondary tape-spring, said device having a wound state in which the primary tape-spring supporting the flexible membrane and secondary tape-spring and reinforcing structure are co-wound around a mandrel; and an unwound state in which said primary tape-spring and secondary tape-spring are unwound. The device comprises, at the level of said mandrel, means for offsetting, in the unwound state, the root of said secondary tape-spring so that the reinforcing structure is deployed within a volume situated on the side opposite the face of the flexible membrane comprising flexible photovoltaic cells and supports said flexible membrane, the device then being in the deployed state.

A spacecraft operating in a low earth orbit having an altitude in the range of 160 to 800 km has a main body that includes heat dissipating electrical equipment and an earth-facing payload. Control surfaces on the spacecraft are articulated so as to: provide three-axis attitude control to the spacecraft main body using aerodynamic drag effects, such that the earth-facing payload is maintained in a selected orientation with respect to the earth; and control one or both of orbit altitude and period by articulating the control surfaces so as to regulate an amount of aerodynamic drag. The control surfaces include a first control surface disposed, in an on-orbit configuration, on a boom, the boom being mechanically coupled with the main body, and with one or both of a solar array electrically coupled with the electrical equipment and a thermal radiating array thermally coupled with the electrical equipment.