Questions tagged [mechanisms]
Mechanisms are mechanical systems used on spacecraft and/or ground support equipment for spacecraft. The mechanisms may be manually (for example, ISS personnel airlock hatches), electrically (for example, ISS Common Berthing Mechanism latches), hydraulically (for example, shuttle Orbiter landing gear uplock hooks), or pneumatically actuated (for example, shuttle Orbiter 17" feedline disconnect valve latches).
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Is there any heritage with wire-retraction systems for space-applications?
Working on a large contract that will send a payload up to the ISS and be docked on the exterior. I'm curious if there is any heritage with a wire-retraction mechanism in-space. I'm talking about ...
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How does the torque transfer from the reaction wheel to the satellite body occur?
Let's imagine a cubic satellite orbiting the Earth. The reaction wheels are located along the $x,y,z$ axes. Let's assume that the sum of the external forces is zero. Then the equation of motion along ...
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Using belt drive in LEO spacecraft?
I am designing a concept for a LEO spacecraft and need to transmit mechanical power (0.5Nm @200rpm rotation) over a distance (1-2ft). Chains or belts would be a natural choice for terrestrial ...
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How do satellite motors keep themselves cool and lubricated?
I'm a high-schooler and today we were taught about the car engines and we were told that in order to maintain proper lubrication in order to reduce the heating effect of friction in the pistons using ...
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How does a fusible wire deployment mechanism work?
Situation Me and my student team are considering to use fusible wires in our CanSat to control the parachute and payload deployment. In detail, a mechanism using a fusible wire should release a loaded ...
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Docking in space
I read about the mechanism of "docking" of Command Modules & Lunar Modules of the Apollo missions (the probe & drouge). It seems it was far too complex & had too many parts. I ...
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How does the JWST sunshade cover release work?
In animations of the James Webb Space Telescope unfolding, you see material rolling itself up to uncover the folded-up sunshade. How is that rolling-up process driven? The animations don't show any ...
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Fancy locomotion for rovers
For its upcoming ExoMars mission, ESA's rover "Rosalind Franklin" can use its wheels like legs in an insect-like gait, to walk out of deep sand that it can't drive out of. A brief video ...
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How did Sputnik 1's antennas couple to its body, electrically and mechanically?
Looking at https://www.britannica.com/technology/satellite-communication/Development-of-satellite-communication I found the image of a model of Sputnik 1 below. It shows details of its four rod ...
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What kind of valves are used in payload fairing for venting?
I wanted to know that there have been a handful of literature that mentions vent openings in the rocket payload fairings. However, none specify the kind of valves used in those fairings? Does anyone ...
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Joint between actuators and structure in thrust vector control systems
I've been wondering how exactly it is that actuators are joined to the structure of a thrust vector control system. The reason I'm confused may be illustrated by the following image of a Vernier ...
user42130
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How were the ramps for the Zhurong rover stowed on the lander for flight?
This picture shows a lander-eye-view of the ramps. This rendering shows a side view. How did the ramp deployment mechanism work, and what did the ramps look like while stowed? There's rendered video ...
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What do hold-down clamps... clamp exactly?
Dummy question. A launch vehicle is restrained during ignition by hold-down clamps. But exactly what part of the rocket do the clamps grab onto? The engine nozzles seem too fragile... but maybe some ...
user39728
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Bronze material compatibility for mechanism exposed to LEO
I'm looking at using a worm gear for a latching mechanism on a spacecraft that's destined for a LEO trajectory. The mechanism is on the outside of the spacecraft, but the worm gear itself would be in ...
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Is there an equivalent of the Dragon 'claw' and Apollo umbilical fairing between the Soyuz crew and service modules?
The Apollo service module provided power etc. to the command module through umbilical connections covered by a fairing. When the two modules were separated, a 'guillotine' cut through the cables and ...
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