Speaker
Description
With launch costs per kilogram to low-Earth orbit at an all-time low and projected to fall even further, new use cases have emerged for the next generation of space systems, such as on-orbit data centers, high delta-V Orbital Transfer Vehicles (OTVs) for last-mile delivery, in-space manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, and space-based solar power. A common denominator for such applications is the need for multi-kW power systems, beyond what state-of-the-art deployable solar arrays can provide, especially on small satellite platforms.
Dcubed’s In-Space Manufacturing (ISM) Technology aims to replace conventional solar arrays, consisting of mechanical articulations of rigid panels, with a flexible blanket solar array, rigidized by booms that are manufactured directly in space, using a 3D-printing process based on a UV-cured photopolymer resin. This approach could enable significantly larger structures than traditional deployment methods, as mass and volume of the printing system are eventually offset by the lighter and more compact ISM structure above a certain break-even point. Apart from solar arrays in the kilowatt range, we are also exploring the application of this technology in building large reflect-arrays for communication applications.
To test this technology in a real space environment, Dcubed is flying a demonstrator payload on Exotrail’s spacevan™ orbital transfer vehicle. During this mission, we will attempt to deploy and rigidize a 900-mm-long, 100-W-scale rollout solar array, supported by two parallel resin booms. If successful, this mission will bring Dcubed’s ISM technology to TRL 9 and pave the way for larger structures that fully utilize the inherent advantages of this technology. The payload has been developed and built in an exceptionally short window of 8 months from concept to FM acceptance and is scheduled to launch in Q4 2025.
The thermal control subsystem (TCS) of the payload is centered around protecting the uncured photopolymer against extreme temperatures that might compromise the quality of the printed boom or cause unintended curing prior to the start of the deployment process. A secondary function is managing the heat released during the deployment phase, where multiple stepper motors and a system of UV LEDs are causing a short, but substantial one-time dissipation event.
To dimension the thermal control subsystem, the payload was modelled and analyzed in Radian, a cloud-based thermal analysis software tailored to agile NewSpace projects. Insights from a TVAC test campaign at DLR in Bremen were also applied to the final iteration of the TCS. This presentation provides an overview of the payload’s TCS, shows key results from the thermal analysis, and closes with some lessons learned during this project.
