Recent advances in multi-functional structures

Abstract

Abstract-The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and its government and industry partners are actively pursuing a variety of technologies that are revolutionizing the design of future spacecraft structures. Multi-Functional Structures (MFS) is a new design paradigm that seeks to integrate the load carrying capability of traditional structures with other spacecraft functions. The result of this integrated approach is the potential for order of magnitude improvements with respect to mass, cost, and volume. This paper provides an overview of three MFS projects: Lightweight Flexible Solar Array (LFSA), the Advanced Technology Demonstration System (ATDS), and Lithium Battery Core (LibaCore). Both technical and programmatic issues associated with maturing this technology and providing a vehicle for affected technology transition will be presented. Experience has shown that transitioning new technology requires both technical advancement as well as demonstrating benefits that outweigh potential risks. It also requires developing the confidence needed to insert this technology through appropriate ground and flight demonstrations. The primary purpose of this paper is to show how industry and government can partner successfully to achieve these objectives.

Field-Programmable Wiring Systems

“…2) Architecture Research: Even in the earliest work, physical panel concepts were chosen to conform to a notion of multifunction structures [49], in which the structures necessary to build platforms (such as a spacecraft) would also support other functional roles. These panels could be thought of as a load-bearing circuit board panels, and it was aim in early research to make these smart wiring panels reconfigurable.…”

Heat Design of Multi-Functional Structure of Electronic Equipment with Material Properties in Control System

“…By the temperature analysis of multi-functional structure with 22, 26, 30 fins, it can be seen that the overall maximum temperature of the multi-functional structure was the lowest when the number of fin is 26, which verified the reasonable of the fin spacing. (3) Effect of the Fin Height on the Maximum Temperature of the Multi-functional Structure: overall structure and the components and related components are the same, and the fin height of the substrate structure is different, many analyses of the multifunctional electronic equipment structure in the thermal simulation software of Icepak [6] [7] [8] . The corresponding data table of the fin height and the highest temperature of the multi-functional structure was as follow: Table 2 Corresponding data table of the fin height and the maximum temperature Based on the above data, the temperature curve Figure 10 corresponding to the substrate fin height and the same temperature boundary conditions and environmental conditions of the multi-functional structures can be made, from which some law can be got.…”