Developing the concept of solar energy units robotic assembly in orbit
The recent foreign experience in the spacecraft development, including lengthy sup-porting structures developing, and giant space telescopes and solar energy systems con-struction indicates that further development in this field of engineering is impossible without transferring the structures manufacturing directly into the space. As applied to power systems, this is motivated by the low packing efficiency (measured in percent of occupied volume) of the power system elements inside the launch vehicle, and, correspondingly, the small value of the “Stowed Volumetric Power”, or “Stowed Volume Power Density”, or “Stowed Volume Efficiency” (measured in kW/m<sup>3</sup>) parameter of the head fairing. This practically excludes the other ways of increasing the power systems total power, other than forming by independent delivery of the power systems parts by way of several launches. The latter leads to a multiple increase of the projects costs, which is not often acceptable. The article proposes a solution to the describedabove said problem in the form of a concept of a robotized assembly of solar power arrays in space, which is based on the application of the Solar Arrays Assembly Machine (SAAM). SAAM is a robot with which a solar cell of a large area is being assembled by attaching the mounting panels to each other. The mounting panel can be a honeycomb of high stiffness, allowing the SAAM to move along its plane. When moving, the SAAM “clings” to the reference holes made on the mounting plates in advance. SAAM has four telescopic supporting rods for moving around the mounting plates and two mounting arms for fixing the panels. The concept demonstrates the scheme of the SAAM application. determines The optimal route for the SAAM movement and the order of the solar array assembly are determined. The scope of its possible application has been determined: for assembling a wing of a solar array with an area of less than 64 m<sup>2</sup>, the target (competitive) mass of the SAAM is of linear dependence on the area of the solar array. When assembling solar arrays with an area of more than 64 m<sup>2</sup>, traditional deployment systems cannot be employed. So the SAAM does not have competitive alternatives implemented. The basic SAAM size are determined. A layout was made allowing develop the basic technological operations and algorithms of moving and assembling. The system weight and size parameters depend on the materials used, electromechanical assemblies, SAAM batteries, and will be refined further further work. The time of the solar array forming depends on the speed of SAAM electromechanical units and manipulators operation. But this is not a limiting factor, since the modular structure of the system should allow the SAAM to recharge from the assembled segments at several stages of the assembly.