The invention relates to a space wing, produced by means of a diaphragm forming a polygonal surface provided with an inflatable structure which includes ribs extending over the diaphragm along diagonals of the diaphragm and passing through a central point of the diaphragm. The inflatable structure includes at least one film strip, the perimeter of which adheres onto the diaphragm such as to form an inflatable space with the diaphragm.

A solar panel array assembly is provided that is adapted to transition between a stowed condition in which at least two solar panels are stacked and a deployed condition in which the solar panels are unstacked relative to the stowed condition and that exhibits a low-profile when in the stowed condition. In one embodiment, the assembly includes at least two solar panels, a flexible hinge connecting and extending between the panels that allows relative rotation of the panels to one another, a torsion bar for providing the force for causing the rotation of the panels for the transition between the stowed and deployed conditions, and a truss structure that transitions from a relatively flat, inoperative state when the panels are stowed to an operative state for use with deployed panels.

The disclosed system comprises one or more small satellites (e.g., CubeSats), one or more ground transmitters, and one or more downlink receivers to facilitate ground-to-space short-burst data communications. The CubeSats are miniaturized or small-form satellites that orbit the Earth transmitting data to and from the ground transmitters and the downlink receivers in low Earth orbit. To efficiently use its surface area, in various embodiments, the CubeSats are designed with deployable and folding wings such that the zenith-pointing side of the wings comprises solar panels and the nadir-pointing side of the wings comprises an antenna. In various embodiments, to increase the data transmission capacity of the CubeSats, the CubeSats comprise a deployable phased array antenna and a software defined radio.

An artificial satellite (100) includes two pointing mechanisms (110, 120). The pointing mechanisms respectively include main body side gimbals (111, 121), deployed booms (112, 122), thruster side gimbals (113, 114), and thruster groups (115, 125). The main body side gimbal connects the deployed boom to a satellite main body (130) and adjusts a direction of the deployed boom. The thruster side gimbal connects the thruster to the deployed boom and adjusts the direction of the thruster. Each gimbal is a two-axis gimbal.

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, and/or compactible structures and deployment mechanisms used to form and deploy such satellite modules and power generation tiles associated therewith are provided. Each satellite module and/or power generation tile may be formed of a compactable structure and deployment mechanism capable of reducing the payload area required to deliver the satellite module to an orbital formation within the space-based solar power station and reliably deploy it once in orbit.

A solar array (50) for a spacecraft (10), comprising a solar concentrator that is provided with photovoltaic cells and reflective areas configured for reflecting solar radiation towards the photovoltaic cells, wherein the reflective areas and the photovoltaic cells are provided on opposite surfaces of concentrator reflector sheet members (56) that are repositionable from a retracted state wherein the concentrator reflector sheet members are in a substantially flat arrangement, to a extended state wherein the concentrator reflector sheet members are raised to allow the reflective areas to reflect solar radiation towards the exposed photovoltaic cells. Alternatively or in addition, the solar array may comprise a support panel, which may be at least partially flexible for retaining the support panel in a bent panel shape when the solar array is in the stowed state fixed at a position near a body of the spacecraft.

[Problem] To provide a foldable frame structure, unfoldable into a 2N-sided polygonal shape (N being an integer equal to or larger than 2), achieving a securely and rigidly supported unfolded state and a compact folded state. [Solving means] 2N upper rods (210), with an equal length, are coupled to each other to define a planer 2N-sided polygonal shape. First coupling means (220) coupling two adjacent upper rod (210) at a corresponding one of apices of the 2N-sided polygonal shape, and holding the two upper rod (210) in such a manner that the upper rod (210) are rotatable about an orthogonal axis orthogonal to axes of both of the two rods and rotation means (240) that enable each of the upper rods (210) to rotate about the axis (AX1) are provided. Folding to be a columnar shape as a whole can be achieved with the upper rods (210) pivoted about the orthogonal axis (AX2) to minimize an angle between two adjacent upper rods (210) while the upper rods (210) are rotated about the axis (AX1).

The disclosed technology includes systems, methods, and mechanism configurations related to satellite solar panels, including stowing arrangements, deployment sequences, special purpose hinges, hold down and release mechanisms, and associated components for controlled deployment of the satellite solar panels.

A roll-out solar array includes a first mandrel having first and second ends and a second mandrel having first and second ends. A hinge extends between the first and second mandrels, such that the roll-out solar array can transition between a stowed position where the mandrels are in a substantially parallel configuration and a deployed position where the mandrels are in a series configuration. A latch may be provided to lock the roll-out solar array in the stowed configuration.

A satellite with deployable optics is provided. The satellite has a frame, an optical axis, and a deployable optical system. The optical system has a mechanical aperture perpendicular to the optical axis, where light collected travels substantially parallel to the optical axis. The optical system has a stored configuration in which it remains within the frame and a deployed configuration in which it extends outside the frame. In some configurations, the light-collecting area of the deployed configuration is larger than the possible light-collecting area of the stored configuration. In a partially deployed configuration, all of the primary mirror segments remain substantially within the frame, and the light-collecting area is smaller than that in the deployed configuration. A method of using the satellite includes setting the satellite to the deployed configuration, detecting whether there is a deployment malfunction, and, if so, setting the satellite to a partially deployed configuration.