US 11,936,335 B2
Rollable tape spring solar array
Lee Wilson, San Jose, CA (US); Luigi Celano, San Jose, CA (US); Garun Arustamov, San Jose, CA (US); Jason Park, San Jose, CA (US); and Derek Wong, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to MOMENTUS SPACE LLC, San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by MOMENTUS SPACE LLC, San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/390,790.
Prior Publication US 2023/0035174 A1, Feb. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. H02S 30/20 (2014.01); B64G 1/22 (2006.01); B64G 1/44 (2006.01); H01L 31/046 (2014.01); H02S 10/40 (2014.01); H02S 40/22 (2014.01)
CPC H02S 30/20 (2014.12) [B64G 1/222 (2013.01); B64G 1/443 (2013.01); H01L 31/046 (2014.12); H02S 10/40 (2014.12); H02S 40/22 (2014.12)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for harvesting solar energy on a spacecraft, the system comprising:
a solar array panel comprising (i) a stiff substrate layer and (ii) a working layer disposed on the substrate layer to provide at least one of a photovoltaic or a reflective function; and
a spacer layer,
wherein the substrate layer, in a first operational state, is arranged as a tape spring to store potential energy which causes the substrate layer to uncoil to a second operational state in which the solar array panel provides a photovoltaic module and/or a solar concentrator,
wherein, in the second operational state, the substrate layer has a radius of curvature in a direction orthogonal to a central coiling axis around which the substrate layer is coiled in the first operational state,
wherein, when the substrate layer is in the first operational state, the spacer layer (i) is disposed between adjacent coils of the solar array panel and (ii) is configured to compress the coils of the solar array panel around an axis of rotation, and
wherein the spacer layer is coupled to a drive mechanism that applies a force to the spacer layer to facilitate uncoiling of the solar array panel.