RU2536417C1 - Protective container for independent research hardware - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: aircraft engineering.SUBSTANCE: invention relates to protective means at transportation and docking/separation of spacecraft and their parts, particularly, to CubeSat-type hardware (pico-satellite, PS). Container housing (1) comprises four lateral walls with guides of C-like cross-section at inner surface of two opposite walls. Said guides cover PD side ribs at transportation. Rear wall (3) with container carrier handle (6) is provided with captive screws (7) to lock PS inside the housing. Turn cover (5) is secured at housing (1) with the help of lead-in frame and provided with service cover (17). Closed cover (5) is locked by captive screws (8) while open cover is locked by permanent magnet with bracket (10). Opposite polarity compensation magnet (12) is located on opposite wall. PS delivered in container aboard the spaceship, in particular ISS, is tested and placed outside the station sealed compartment for long-term experiments in open space. After said tests, PS is placed on the container and returned to the earth. To launch the PS to open space, turn cover (5) is opened and locked by magnet. Then, astronaut pushes container by handle (6) in direction of PS separation.EFFECT: enhanced performances.4 cl, 5 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of rocket and space technology and can be used for transporting autonomous scientific equipment, in particular picoselectrics of the CubeSat format, to a manned spacecraft or orbital station, for example, to the ISS.

The prior art transport and launch container for picosatellites P-POD: Poly Picosatellite Orbital Deployer, which is made in the form of a box consisting of four side walls, a rear wall, a frame designed to attach a cover, a cover and a drive mechanism for opening the cover (Poly Picosatellite Orbital Deployer Mk III ICD, W. Lan, 02/08/07 - pod% 20mk% 20iii% 20icd.pdf; CubeSat Design Specification (CDS) REV 13 - PROVISIONAL August 19, 2013). The well-known container is designed to protect the payload of the CubeSat format during flight, as well as to separate the payload in a given orbit after launch. Upon receipt of the control signal, the drive mechanism opens the lid, and under the influence of the spring, the spacecraft is displayed in open space.

Closest to the claimed technical solution is a protective container for autonomous scientific equipment, made in the form of a housing including four side walls, a rear wall and a lead-in frame, equipped with a swivel lid attached to the lead-in frame, and devices for fixing the swivel cover in open and closed positions ( see patent WO 2008/034550 A1, B64G 1/64, publ. March 27, 2008).

The disadvantages of the known technical solutions are the relative complexity of the device and high dynamic loads on the picosatellite design in the process of launching into orbit, because the picosatellite is supported by a buoyant spring and, with vibrations, can move in the longitudinal (due to the spring) and transverse (due to gaps) directions. In addition, well-known containers are intended only for automatic launch of pico- and nanosatellites and cannot be used to manually launch from a manned object, for example, the ISS, as well as to protect autonomous scientific equipment having its own solar panels and antennas from external influences during extra-ship activity when it is fixed on the outer surface of a manned object during long-term experiments and its subsequent return after the completion of the experiment.

The problem to which the invention is directed, is:

- ensuring the protection of autonomous scientific equipment, which has its own solar panels and antennas, in particular, picosatellites of the CubeSat format, from external influences during transportation and delivery to a manned orbital station, storage inside the pressurized compartment of the station;

- reduction of dynamic loads on the picosatellite design at all stages of operation;

- expanding the functionality to ensure that all types of work are carried out during the intra- and extra-ship activities of the crew of the manned orbital station in cases when the scientific equipment is taken out of the hermetic compartment, fixed on the external surface as an inseparable scientific equipment for long-term experiments in real use and its subsequent return to the manned station and then to Earth;

- the manual launch of picosatellites by the push method in order to reduce the financial and economic costs of manufacturing, launching, and ground testing.

The technical result consists in reducing the load on the protected object, as well as in expanding the functionality and reducing financial costs for experimental testing. The problem is solved, and the technical result is achieved by the fact that the protective container for autonomous scientific equipment contains a housing including four side walls, a rear wall and a lead-in frame, and is equipped with a rotatable lid that is attached to the lead-in frame and devices for fixing the rotary lid in open and closed positions, with a handle for carrying the container and fixing elements in the form of captive screws, with which the equipment is fixed inside the case, and on the inside the surfaces of two opposite side walls of the casing are fixed on two guides of a C-shaped cross section, covering the side ribs of the equipment. The device for fixing the pivoting lid in the closed position is preferably made in the form of captive screws, and the device for securing the pivoting lid in the open position is in the form of a permanent magnet mounted on the outer surface of the side wall of the container, and a bracket located on the pivoting lid and provided with a plate of steel with a small residual magnetization or permanent magnet. In this case, it is advisable to provide the protective container with a compensation magnet located opposite in polarity with the permanent magnet of the lid fixing device in the open position and mounted on the opposite side wall of the container. On one of the walls of the housing or on the pivoting lid, a device can be installed for activating the contact of activation of scientific equipment, made, for example, in the form of a magnet.

Figure 1 - presents a view of the protective container for picosatellite (view from the side of the sliding plate);

figure 2 is a view of the protective container for picosatellite (view from the side of the removable plate);

figure 3 is a General view of the protective container for picosatellite with the lid open (view from the side of the sliding plate);

figure 4 is a General view of the protective container for picosatellite with the lid open (view from the side of the removable plate);

figure 5 - protective container for picosatellite (view from the side of the open cover).

The housing 1 of the protective container for autonomous scientific equipment includes four side walls (not indicated by the position) with guides 2, a rear wall 3 and a lead-in frame 4, intended for fastening the rotary cover 5, interconnected by screws. On the back wall 3 there is a handle 6 for carrying the container and additional fixing elements in the form of captive screws 7, for example four, with which the picosatellite is fixed inside the housing without movement. The guides 2 are located in pairs on the inner surface of two opposite side walls of the housing 1, have a C-shaped cross section and during transportation cover the side ribs of an autonomous scientific equipment (picosatellite). The locking device for the rotary cover 5 in the closed position is made in the form of captive screws 8, for example two. The device for fixing the rotary cover 5 in the open position is made in the form of a permanent magnet 9 and a bracket 10 on the cover with a plate 11 of steel with low residual magnetization (instead of the plate 11, a magnet can be used). To compensate for the constant magnetic field created by the magnet 9 holding the lid in the open position, a compensation magnet 12 of the opposite polarity is mounted on the diametrically opposite side wall. The side walls of the housing 1 are equipped with removable covers 13, a sliding plate 14 and a removable plate 15. On the rotary cover 5 there is a device for actuating the contact of activation of scientific equipment, made in the form of a permanent magnet 16. The rotary cover 5 is equipped with a technological cover 17.

The proposed device operates as follows. For the delivery of autonomous scientific equipment having its own solar panels and antennas, in particular, a CubeSat picosatellite, aboard a manned orbital station, for example, the ISS, and protection from external influences at all stages of operation, including transportation to the spaceport, delivery to a manned orbital station with using a launch vehicle, storage inside the station’s pressurized compartment, testing on board the station, transferring scientific equipment outside the station’s pressurized compartment, securing it on the outer surface with In order to conduct a long experiment, to return to Earth after the experiment is completed, as well as to ensure launch into open space, autonomous scientific equipment in the form of a picosatellite is placed inside a protective container. For this, captive screws 8 of the rotary cover 5, which is manually opened by the bracket 10 and locked in the open position by a permanent magnet 9, are disengaged from the threaded holes in the housing 1. Autonomous scientific equipment is installed inside the housing 1 of the protective container, in which the guides 2 are provided, having inclined lead-in to facilitate installation and exit of the picosatellite. The entrance part is made on a plot of 10-15 mm at an angle of 3-5 degrees. To increase the accuracy of manufacturing body parts, the guides 2 are made in pairs on two diametrically opposite boards in the form of a C-shaped structure, covering all four edges of an autonomous scientific equipment (picosatellite).

Then, the rotary cover 5 closes and when the permanent magnet of the end contacts 16 approaches the contact springs of the reed relays responsible for the on / off state of the scientific equipment, its magnetic field closes through the contact springs, which, when magnetized, acquire the opposite polarity. Thus, the force of electromagnetic attraction of normally open contacts is formed and the contacts are closed. In the opposite case, when the permanent magnet 16 is removed from the contact springs, the force of electromagnetic attraction decreases, the contacts return to their original state (open) and provide the switched-on state of autonomous scientific equipment (picosatellite), while the state of contacts is inverted. After closing, the rotary cover 5 is fixed by two captive screws 8. On the opposite side of the housing on the rear wall 3 there are also four captive screws 7 that are screwed into the housing of the autonomous scientific equipment (picosatellite) to eliminate longitudinal and lateral movements, as well as reduce dynamic loads on it . In addition, a handle 6 is mounted on the rear wall for carrying the container, in which a groove is made for laying the picosatellite antenna.

Next, the protective container with installed autonomous scientific equipment is transported to the cosmodrome, where it fits inside a cargo transport or manned spacecraft. To do this, it is placed in a fabric or plastic bag and in this soft package is bandaged with elastic straps to the structural elements inside the cargo compartment. When launching a booster rocket in an active flight segment, the protective container reduces dynamic loads by eliminating the beats of the autonomous payload (picosatellite) against the guides, the rotary cover, and the rear wall of the hull. After docking the cargo or manned spacecraft with the orbital station, the crew dismantles the protective container and places it inside the station’s sealed hull for temporary storage. Immediately before the crew members went out into outer space for the implementation of extra-ship activity, autonomous scientific equipment was tested, for which the sliding plate 14 was rotated about an axis. During rotation, it bends slightly due to its own elasticity. At the same time, access to the connectors for recharging the batteries of autonomous scientific equipment and the elements of its testing is opened. After testing, the sliding plate 14 is returned to its original state and is fixed using a special protrusion that engages with a tapered blind hole (recess) in the side wall of the housing 1. After testing, a red plate 15 is removed, located on the opposite side relative to the rotary plate 14 and there is access for mounting structural elements that secure the autonomous scientific equipment on the outer surface of the orbital station. Captive screws 7 located on the rear wall 3 of the housing from the side of the handle 6 and the process cover 17 are also removed. Then the protective container is carried out by the crew in open space. To insure the elimination of the danger of collision with the elements of the orbital station and the clogging of outer space, a flexible halyard is used, which clings to the handle 6.

After the installation of autonomous scientific equipment in a protective container on the external structural elements of the station, the protective container is dismantled using a rod. For this, captive screws 8 for fastening the rotary cover 5 are removed from the mesh, the cover 5 is manually rotated by the astronaut 10 to the bracket 10 until it is attracted by magnet 9. The protective container is removed from the autonomous scientific equipment (picosatellite) by moving along the guides 2 to a free exit. Then, the lid 5 closes again, and the container returns to the inside of the sealed compartment of the orbital station. If it is necessary to return autonomous scientific equipment to Earth, operations are carried out in the reverse order.

If it is necessary to start the picosatellite manually, the rotary cover 5 opens and is fixed by the magnet 9 in the open position. Next, the astronaut jerks his hand in the suit for the handle 6 of the container in the direction of separation of the picosatellite. At the end point of motion, the satellite is inertia separated from the container with minimal angular velocities.

To ensure the thermal regime of autonomous scientific equipment in the process of extra-ship activity, screen-vacuum thermal insulation is installed on the outer surface of the protective container (not shown in the drawings). In order to protect the autonomous payload from static electricity on one of the walls, for example on the rear wall 3, there is a special place for metallization of the protective container.

Thus, the proposed device has significant differences from previously known protective containers and allows you to expand its functionality and improve operational characteristics. This invention is intended to be used for experimental testing of on-board picosatellite systems in real-life conditions when installed on the outer surface of an orbital station as inseparable autonomous scientific equipment and subsequent return to Earth, as well as manual launch of picosatellites, which can significantly reduce the cost of ground experimental testing, to increase the reliability of equipment and reduce the time required for the creation of samples of space technology.

Claims (4)

1. A protective container for autonomous scientific equipment, comprising a housing including four side walls, a rear wall and a lead-in frame, provided with a pivotable lid attached to the lead-in frame, and devices for fixing the pivot-cover in open and closed positions, characterized in that on the back wall The handle for carrying the container and the fixing elements in the form of captive screws are fixed with the help of which the equipment is fixed inside the case, and on the inner surface of two opposite side walls Pusa fixed two rails of C-shaped cross section covering the side edges of the apparatus. 2. The protective container according to claim 1, characterized in that the device for fixing the rotary cover in the closed position is made in the form of captive screws, and the device for fixing the cover in the open position is made in the form of a permanent magnet mounted on the outer surface of the side wall of the container and the bracket, located on the rotary cover and provided with a plate of steel with low residual magnetization or a permanent magnet. 3. The protective container according to claim 2, characterized in that it is equipped with a compensation magnet located opposite in polarity with the permanent magnet of the lid fixing device in the open position and mounted on the opposite side wall of the container. 4. The protective container according to claim 1, characterized in that on one of the walls of the housing or on the pivoting lid there is a device for actuating an activation contact of scientific equipment, made, for example, in the form of a magnet.

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