JPH08230796A - Rocket fairing jointly used for solar cell paddl - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To reduce the weight of and to miniaturize a satellite without reducing the electric power by solar energy by using a rocket fairing as a member for fitting a solar battery cell. CONSTITUTION: In a rocket fairing 2 which constitutes the tip part of a rocket body 1 for launching a satellite, stores a satellite body 3 inside, and is split in the longitudinal direction and separated from the rocket body 1 together with the satellite body 3, a lower edge part of each split fairing 2 is fitted to the satellite body 3 in an expanding manner, and a solar battery cell 4 is provided on the inner wall surface of each fairing 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rocket fairing for an artificial satellite, and more particularly to a solar battery which is mounted so as to be deployable on the satellite body and has solar cells on each inner wall surface, and which also functions as a solar paddle. For paddle and rocket fairing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, artificial satellites (hereinafter simply referred to as "satellite") that fly in an elliptical orbit or a geosynchronous orbit focusing on the earth and are used for communications, satellites, observations, etc. are multistage rockets and space shuttles. Launched outside the atmosphere in space transportation systems such as, and uses the sunlight as an energy source for communication by radio waves and data transmission with ground stations or satellites.

Here, in order for the artificial satellite to operate in outer space, electric power as an energy source is required, but in outer space, there is no energy obtained from outside the satellite other than solar energy. Therefore, most satellites use solar cells as a means for securing such solar energy.

As the structure of the solar battery as a means for securing the energy of the satellite, the solar battery is directly attached to the periphery of the satellite, or the solar battery is provided in a wing-shaped paddle provided separately from the satellite. There is a method of installing and deploying this in outer space. Among them, the satellite pasting type has advantages such as a simple structure and a light weight, but the solar cell area cannot be increased, and the electric power has a certain limit.

In this respect, the paddle deployment type is stored in the satellite side portion in a folded shape at the time of launch, and the paddle is largely deployed after launch to increase the area of the solar cell, so that it becomes easy to secure electric power, In particular, it is widely used in satellites that require large power (for example, broadcasting satellites).

[0006] Examples of the technology adopting such a deployable solar cell paddle include the deployable solar cell panel disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 59-39300, the deployable solar cell paddle disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-80800, and There are various types such as a flat back type flexible paddle storage / deployment structure disclosed in Kaihei 2-75399.

[0007]

By the way, generally, a rocket for launching a satellite requires a small amount of structural weight of the rocket body in order to secure a payload as large as possible, and at the same time, the life of the satellite is slightly increased. However, it is important to load a large amount of propellant (satellite fuel).

Further, in order to achieve various missions, it is necessary to mount various mission devices on the satellite as much as possible. However, since a high-performance mission requires a large storage space, other parts of the satellite are required. It is extremely important to reduce the size and weight of the product. Therefore, in designing a satellite, various measures have been taken to reduce the weight and size of all devices and structures including the rocket body.

However, the above-mentioned paddle deployment type solar cell requires a paddle structure separate from the satellite body and a structure for storing and deploying the same, so that it is bulkier than the satellite sticking type and can be folded up. Although it was stored, there was a structural defect that the space inside the rocket was also taken up accordingly.

From this point of view, the inventor of the present invention has conceived that the rocket fairing is commonly used for the solar cell paddle. An artificial satellite is usually covered with a heat-resistant structure that protects the tip of the rocket (nose cone) called the rocket fairing (also called satellite fairing) and the space around the satellite housing when it is launched by a rocket. It is protected from the high temperature of a thousand and several hundred degrees caused by aerodynamic heating during the rocket's accelerating ascent along with the equipment inside the rocket.

The rocket fairing is separated and opened when the rocket reaches the outside of the atmosphere, and the satellite is thrown into orbit and is dumped into outer space at the same time. That is,
As shown in FIG. 3, the rocket fairing 20 is arranged at the tip of the rocket body 10 at the time of launch to form a part of the rocket (states shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B). ), After the satellite body 30 is put into orbit, it is cleaved and separated (state of FIG. 3C) and becomes unnecessary. afterwards,
A separately provided solar array paddle 40 expands to receive sunlight and supplies power to the satellite body 30 (Fig. 3 (d),
(State of (e)).

[0012] Therefore, if the rocket fairing, which is supposed to be discarded from the beginning as described above, can be used as it is, structural problems such as a weight surface and a space surface cannot occur, and the conventional technique can be used. It is possible to solve the problem that it had.

The present invention has been proposed in order to solve the problems of the prior art by paying attention to such a point, and by using a rocket fairing as a solar battery cell mounting member, It is an object of the present invention to provide a rocket fairing that doubles as a solar cell paddle that can contribute to the weight reduction and downsizing of an artificial satellite without reducing the electric power due to energy.

[0014]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a solar cell paddle / rocket fairing according to claim 1 of the present invention constitutes a tip portion of a launch vehicle for an artificial satellite and has an artificial satellite inside. A rocket fairing that houses a main body and is vertically separated in space to be separated from a rocket together with the artificial satellite main body, and a lower end edge of each of the divided fairings is rotatable to the satellite main body. In addition to being attached, the inner wall surface of each fairing is provided with solar cells.

The rocket fairing that also serves as a solar paddle according to a second aspect of the present invention is configured such that only a part of each of the divided fairings is rotatably attached to the satellite body.

Further, in the rocket fairing which also functions as a solar battery paddle according to a third aspect of the present invention, the solar battery cells are provided only in a part of each of the fairings.

Further, in the rocket fairing which also serves as a solar cell paddle according to a fourth aspect, a biasing member for biasing each fairing in a deploying direction is provided at a mounting portion of each fairing and the satellite body. There is.

[0018]

According to the rocket fairing combined with the solar cell paddle of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the rocket fairing which is divided in the vertical direction is attached to the satellite body so as to be deployable, and the inner wall surface of each divided fairing is Since the solar battery cells are provided, the rocket fairing, which was conventionally used only at the time of launch and discarded in outer space, can be effectively used as a deployable solar battery paddle.

As a result, it is not necessary to separately provide a structure as a solar cell paddle for securing electric power, so that the launch weight of the rocket body including the satellite can be reduced, and the mission weight can be increased and the propulsion can be promoted. It becomes possible to carry a large amount of drugs, and the satellite life can be extended.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the rocket fairing for solar cell paddles according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing an embodiment of a rocket fairing that also serves as a solar cell paddle of the present invention.
Shows a state before deployment of the fairing, and (b) shows a state after deployment of the fairing. 2 is a schematic plan view of the solar cell paddle / rocket fairing shown in FIG. 1, where (a) shows a state before the fairing is deployed and (b) shows a state after the fairing is deployed.

In these figures, 1 is a rocket main body for launching an artificial satellite, and a rocket fairing 2 is detachably arranged at the tip. The rocket fairing 2 has a hollow interior, and the artificial satellite body 3 to be launched is housed in the hollow portion. As shown in FIG. 2, the fairing is divided into four parts in the vertical direction, and the lower end edge of each of the divided fairings is rotatably attached to the lower end edge of the satellite body 3. It can be deployed around 3.

That is, as shown in FIG. 1A, the rocket fairing 2 constitutes the rocket tip in the state where the satellite body 3 is coupled to the rocket body 1, and the satellite body 3 is separated from the rocket body 1. Then, it is separated from the rocket body 1 together with the satellite body 3 and deployed around the satellite body 3.

The lower end edge of the rocket fairing 2 and the satellite body 3 are rotatably attached by using a latch mechanism. By using the latch mechanism, the rocket fairing 2 can be freely deployed up to a fixed angle and does not deploy at a fixed angle or more, and can function as a solar cell paddle described later.

In addition, in this embodiment, in order to smoothly deploy the rocket fairing 2, the rocket fairing 2 is always urged in the deploying direction to the rotatable mounting portion,
Biasing means for positioning are provided. As a biasing means for deploying and positioning the rocket fairing 2, for example, a spring or the like can be used.

Here, the rocket fairing 2 before launching the rocket, that is, before deployment, is connected by a separating bolt or a wire cutter or the like as in a normal launch vehicle for launching an artificial satellite. Is released by exploding, cutting, etc., and is deployed by a biasing means such as a spring. When the rocket fairing 2 is deployed by the explosive force of the pyrotechnic, the rocket fairing 2 can be deployed by the impact force at the time of the explosion, so the biasing means can be omitted.

As a method of connecting the satellite body 3 and the rocket body 1 in this embodiment, a separation nut method, a Maruman clamp method, or the like, which is the same as that used in a normal artificial satellite launch rocket, is adopted. ing.

As the material of the rocket fairing 2,
The aluminum skin and aluminum honeycomb sandwich structure, which are also used for the fairings of H-II rockets of the Japan Space Agency, are used.

A solar battery cell 4 is disposed on the inner wall surface of the rocket fairing 2, and the solar battery cell 4 and the rocket fairing 2 form a solar battery paddle of the satellite body 3. The attachment of the solar battery cell 4 to the inner wall of the rocket fairing 2 is usually performed by directly attaching the solar battery cell 4 to the inner wall of the rocket fairing 2 using an adhesive.

However, in addition to this, for example, when heat insulation of the rocket fairing 2 is intended, the solar cell 4 attached to a honeycomb plate or the like may be attached to the rocket fairing 2. . The area and weight of the solar battery cell 4 are mounted according to the electric power required by the satellite.

Next, the operation of the rocket fairing which also serves as the solar cell paddle of the present embodiment having such a configuration will be described. First, when launching a rocket, see Fig. 1 (a).
Also, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), the rocket fairing 2 divided into four parts is in a connected state by bolts, wires, etc., and the satellite body 3 is also arranged and connected to the tip of the rocket body 1, so that the rocket The fairing 2 constitutes the rocket tip and is launched into space.

Next, when the rocket reaches outer space, the satellite body 3 is separated from the rocket body 1 and cut off, so that the rocket fairing 2 is separated from the rocket body 1 together with the satellite body 3. In this state, when the separation bolts, wire cutters, etc. that connect the rocket fairing 2 are released, the rocket fairing 2 is urged by the urging means of the rotary mounting portion, so that FIG.
And, as shown in FIG. 2B, the satellite body 3 is divided and expanded in four directions.

As a result, the solar battery cells 4 arranged on the inner wall surface of the rocket fairing 2 can receive sunlight, so that they function as solar battery paddles and can supply the satellite body 3 with necessary electric power. .

As described above, according to the rocket fairing combined with the solar cell paddle of this embodiment, the rocket fairing that can be divided in the vertical direction is attached to the satellite body so as to be deployable, and the inner wall surface of the rocket fairing is attached. Since the solar battery cells are provided, the rocket fairing that was conventionally used only at the time of launch and discarded in outer space can be effectively used as a deployable solar battery paddle.

As a result, it is not necessary to separately provide a structure as a solar cell paddle, so that the launch weight of a rocket body including a satellite can be reduced, the mission weight is increased, and a large amount of propellant is loaded. It is possible to extend the life of the satellite.

The rocket fairing that also serves as the solar cell paddle of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention. For example, depending on the structure of the satellite body, the mission, etc., the electric power and weight required for the artificial satellite also differ. Therefore, only a part of each of the divided fairings of the rocket fairing is attached to the satellite body so that it can be deployed, The ring may be separated from the satellite body and dumped like a conventional rocket. Further, the solar battery cells may be provided only on a part of each fairing that is attached to the satellite body so as to be deployable. Further, if necessary, the solar cell paddle / rocket fairing of the present invention may be used in combination to add conventional solar cell paddles or solar cells attached to the satellite body to enhance power. On the other hand, although the rocket fairing is divided into four in the above-mentioned embodiment, the invention is not limited to this, but may be at least two, and may be three, five or the like.

[0036]

As described above, according to the rocket fairing combined with the solar battery paddle of the present invention, the rocket fairing is used as a member for mounting the solar battery cells, so that the power due to the solar energy is not reduced. It can contribute to the weight and size reduction of artificial satellites.

[Brief description of drawings]

1A and 1B are schematic front views showing an embodiment of a rocket fairing that also serves as a solar cell paddle of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A shows a state before deployment of the fairing, and FIG. 1B shows a state after deployment of the fairing. .

2A and 2B are schematic plan views of the rocket fairing also serving as a solar cell paddle shown in FIG. 1, where FIG. 2A is a state before the fairing is deployed and FIG. 2B is a state after the fairing is deployed.

3 (a) to 3 (e) are schematic front views showing a state in which a conventional rocket fairing and a solar cell paddle are separated and deployed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Rocket body 2 ... Rocket fairing 3 ... Satellite body 4 ... Solar cell

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A rocket fair which constitutes a tip portion of a launch vehicle for an artificial satellite, houses the artificial satellite body therein, and is vertically divided in space to be separated from the rocket together with the artificial satellite body. A rocket, which is also a ring, characterized in that the lower end edge of each of the divided fairings is attached to the satellite body in a deployable manner, and solar cells are provided on the inner wall surface of each of the fairings. Fairing. 2. The rocket fairing combined with a solar cell paddle according to claim 1, wherein only a part of each of the divided fairings is rotatably attached to the satellite body. 3. The rocket fairing also serving as a solar paddle according to claim 1, wherein the solar cells are provided only in a part of each fairing. 4. The rocket fair for solar cell paddles according to claim 1, wherein a biasing member for biasing each fairing in a deploying direction is provided at a mounting portion of each of the fairings and the satellite body. ring.