Session: MR-7-1: Novel Mechanisms, Robots, and Applications

Paper Number: 109002

109002 - Design and Development of Solar Array Deployment and Stabilization System for Nasa Minds Student Competition 

In NASA's new ARTEMIS mission, the agency aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the moon, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface. Currently the agency is working with several American companies to deliver science and technology to the lunar surface through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. To meet the mission's energy requirements solar arrays must be deployed above the shadowed regions of the lunar south pole. It is important to increase students' awareness of engineering design and its importance in engineering applications. In current study, a study is carried out via integrating NASA Minds competition in undergraduate capstone project course and a team at University of the District of Columbia successfully competed in this design competition by developing an integrated system that will facilitate deployment and retraction of a self-fabricated extending mast which will expand vertically from a leveling platform. This extension/retraction cycle will require the design of a durable, lightweight deployment mechanism and accompanying mast constructed from high strength materials capable of being stowed for transport. The student team performed extensive analysis and design of the folding and expansion mechanism and a prototype was produced to validate the proposed approaches. This paper summarizes their study and finding from this experience. 

Presenting Author: Jiajun Xu University of the District of Columbia

Presenting Author Biography: Jiajun Xu is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the director of Center for Advanced Manufacturing at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Maryland-College Park. His current research interests include the following: (I) in-situ characterization and multiscale modeling of energy transport inside nanostructured materials, (II) thermal management and energy conversion using nano-enhanced phase change materials, (III) in-situ monitoring and process optimization of direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) based additive manufacturing, and (IV) environment-friendly wastewater treatment using nanoparticle infused mesoporous materials. His current research is sponsored by National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Authors:

Evan Preller University of the DC
Joshua Dillard University of the DC
Brandon Bothway University of the DC
Kelechi Iwuchukwu University of the DC
Fisseha Gebre University of the DC
Jiajun Xu University of the District of Columbia