Abstract Without a structure, a spacecraft is just a set of circuit boards, wires and propulsion pipework. Although, in some senses, a strong structure is unnecessary in microgravity, it is required to hold the subsystems together on the ground, and during launch. In addition to the rigid structure, some elements are designed to move — either because they are too bulky to fit inside the launch vehicle’s aerodynamic shroud, or are too flimsy to support themselves, or because in space they require to be pointed in different directions. These mechanisms, some actuated by motors, others by pyrotechnic devices, pose particular challenges since the provision of lubrication in a vacuum is not a trivial task. Many structural parts, and in particular their coatings, serve a thermal function, and thus we consider failures in these areas together. Indeed, in addition to the flight unit that will be launched and an engineering model that is generally a faithful reproduction of the electronic systems, the first item to be produced in a spacecraft development programme is a structural and thermal model, or sometimes a structural, thermal and pyrotechnic model. This is used to verify the structure (which is often a large component of the mass of the spacecraft) early in the programme. It also often provides engineers with their first impression of how the final spacecraft will look. Many end up in museums. In this section we consider cases where the spacecraft structure fails in some manner, in the sense of failing to sustain loads and actually breaking, or where the rigidity of the structure has proven inadequate.
Structural failures
2005-01-01
30 pages
Article/Chapter (Book)
Electronic Resource
English
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