A spacecraft includes a main body, a set of panels attached to a side of the main body, and a retaining the set of panels adjacent to the main body. The single-point release device includes a heater for generating heat to expand a thermally sensitive material, a membrane-based actuator for providing a linear movement based on a phase change of the thermally sensitive material contained in the membrane-based actuator, and a release fitting and a release rod for retaining and selectively releasing a pin based on the linear movement of the membrane-based actuator. The membrane-based actuator is configured to push the pin through the release fitting.
Single-point release mechanism for spacecraft
2020-02-18
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | B64G Raumfahrt , COSMONAUTICS |
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