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E-design and manufacturing approach for Cubesat solar panel deployment mechanism

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Mohammed Amine Zafrane at Université des Sciences et de la Technologie d'Oran Mohamed Boudiaf
Mohammed Amine Zafrane
Abdelghafour Azzouz Bouchahma
Abdelghafour Azzouz Bouchahma
Abdelghafour Azzouz Bouchahma
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Bachir Abes at Université des Sciences et de la Technologie d'Oran Mohamed Boudiaf
Bachir Abes
Bachir Zafrane
Bachir Zafrane
Bachir Zafrane
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Abstract and Figures

The Cube Satellites short named as CubeSat, have received significant attention. Most essentially, advanced CubeSat missions have been developed and demonstrated thus the CubeSat has very quickly become the key for future space industry. However, one of the main Cubesat constraints is the on-board electrical subsystem, which needs to have better increased value of the available power. This paper describes the design and manufacturing process of a standard deployable solar panel system, which can be used on-single board (1U), double (2U) and triple (3U) Cubesat. The system developed is the basis for an active approach, which will allow better control for maneuvering capability, comparing different deployment concepts and architectures. We have realized a prototype of the system for a 1U Cubesat, based on MEMS technologies highlighting the active method for deployment mechanisms. Additionally, an experimental investigation of the proposed solution based on an online design and manufacturing process has been proven. Also, we have fabricated and tested a demonstration model of a printed circuit board using 3D software, achieved the functionality of the mechanism under various test conditions and verified the structural safety of the proposed solution in a launch vibration environment through sinus and random vibration tests at the qualification level.
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Content available from International Journal on Interactive Design and Manufacturing (IJIDeM)
This content is subject to copyright. Terms and conditions apply.
International Journal on Interactive Design and Manufacturing (IJIDeM) (2022) 16:1585–1600
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12008-022-00867-4
ORIGINAL PAPER
E-design and manufacturing approach for Cubesat solar panel
deployment mechanism
Mohammed Amine Zafrane1·Abdelghafour Azzouz Bouchahma1·Bachir Abes3·Bachir Zafrane1·
Mokhtar Freh Bengabou2
Received: 4 December 2021 / Accepted: 17 February 2022 / Published online: 15 March 2022
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature 2022
Abstract
The Cube Satellites short named as CubeSat, have received significant attention. Most essentially, advanced CubeSat missions
have been developed and demonstrated thus the CubeSat has very quickly become the key for future space industry. However,
one of the main Cubesat constraints is the on-board electrical subsystem, which needs to have better increased value of the
available power. This paper describes the design and manufacturing process of a standard deployable solar panel system,
which can be used on-single board (1U), double (2U) and triple (3U) Cubesat. The system developed is the basis for an
active approach, which will allow better control for maneuvering capability, comparing different deployment concepts and
architectures. We have realized a prototype of the system for a 1U Cubesat, based on MEMS technologies highlighting the
active method for deployment mechanisms. Additionally, an experimental investigation of the proposed solution based on
an online design and manufacturing process has been proven. Also, we have fabricated and tested a demonstration model
of a printed circuit board using 3D software, achieved the functionality of the mechanism under various test conditions and
verified the structural safety of the proposed solution in a launch vibration environment through sinus and random vibration
tests at the qualification level.
Keywords Cubesat ·Online design and manufacturing ·Software aided design ·Deployment system ·Commercial
off-the-shelf and microelectromechanical systems components ·Numerical analysis
BMohammed Amine Zafrane
mohammedamine.zafrane@univ-
usto.dz,amine.eln@hotmail.com
Abdelghafour Azzouz Bouchahma
azzouzbouchahma.ins@gmail.com
Bachir Abes
bachir.abes@univ-usto.dz
Bachir Zafrane
zaafranebachir888@gmail.com
Mokhtar Freh Bengabou
mokhtarf_68@yahoo.fr
1Département d’électronique, Université Des Sciences Et de
La Technologie d’Oran Mohamed Boudiaf, USTO-Mb, BP
1505, El M’naouer 31000, Oran, Algérie
2Faculté de Génie Électrique, Université Des Sciences Et de La
Technologie d’Oran Mohamed Boudiaf, USTO-Mb, BP 1505,
El M’naouer 31000, Oran, Algérie
3Département de mécanique , Université Des Sciences Et de
La Technologie d’Oran Mohamed Boudiaf USTO-Mb , BP
1505, El M’naouer 31000, Oran, Algérie
Abbreviations
1U One unit
3D 3Dimensions
MEMS Microelectromechanical systems
SMA Shape memory alloys
IOD Interactive design optimization
COTS Commercial off-the-shelf
SAD Software aided design
PCB Printed circuit board
I2C Inter integrated circuit
SDA Signal DATA
SCL Signal DATA
MCU Master controller unit
RTC Real-time clock
CC/CV Constant current/constant voltage
Angle YAxis in degree (°)
I Current (A)
V Voltage (V)
P Power output (W)
123
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
... Whereas conventional patch antennas used on satellites contend with solar cells for surface area, transparent antennas can be placed right on top of solar cells removing the necessity to compete for limited surface space. CubeSats, for example, are a sort of miniature satellite which has a maximum mass of 1.33 kg and a limited surface area [9]. CubeSat alongside small satellite antennas can occupy onethird the size of the spacecraft [7]. ...
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