• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.529-534
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• 2014

Pyrotechnic devices are widely used for space appendages. However, a cube satellite requirements do not permit the use of explosive pyrotechnic device. A nichrome burn wire release has typically been used for holding and release of deployable appendages of the cube satellite due to its simplicity and low cost. However, relatively low mechanical constraint force and system complexity for application of multi-deployable systems are disadvantages of the conventional mechanism. To overcome these drawbacks, we developed a hinge driving segmented nut type holding and release mechanism based on the nichrome burn wire release. The functional performance of the mechanism has been verified through release function test, static load test and shock level measurement test.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.123-128
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• 2022

This paper proposes a non-explosive separation device for the deployable SAR antenna. This device utilises a Ni-Cr wire to restrain the antenna's belt mechanism, and joule-heating is used to minimise the impact of deployment. After the Ni-Cr wire has been cut, the device is deployed through the preload of the belt mechanism. Considering the design load(99g) and preload conditions, FEM analysis for AL7050 and Ti was performed. This analysis revealed that the amount of deformation for AL7050 was 0.256 mm with a margin of +0.09. In addition, by performing orbital thermal analysis, the temperature distribution for AL7050 in the worst cold case is confirmed as -50 to +2℃ and -10 to +90℃ in the worst hot case. This analysis confirmed that the separation device would remain stable even in the worst environment.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.41 no.9
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• pp.720-725
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• 2013

Nylon wire cutting method by nichrome wire is generally applicable for cube satellite applications due to its advantages of simplicity. However, the system complexity is not avoidable to apply it on the cube satellite with multi-deployable structures. A lower constraint force of the mechanism is also one of the disadvantages of the mechanism. In this study, we proposed a preliminary structure design of cube satellite with the separation mechanism which is applicable for holding and release of the multi-deployable structures. The effectiveness of the mechanism design was verified through function test of EM mechanism. The structure analysis results showed that the structure design proposed in this study is feasible.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.274-280
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• 2016

Hinge driving type holding and release mechanism based on the burn wire release for application of cubesat is main payload of STEP Cube Lab. (Cube Laboratory for Space Technology Experimental Project) to be launched at 2015. It has high constraint force, low shock level as well as surmounting drawbacks of conventional nichrome burn wire release method that has relatively low constraint force and system complexity for application of multi-deployable systems. In this paper, we have proposed a flight model of holding and release mechanism for the verification of the constraint force and deployment status signal acquisition. To validate the effectiveness of the flight model, launch and on-orbit environment verification test have been performed.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.81-88
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• 2021

In general, a non-explosive nylon wire cutting-based holding and release mechanism has been used to store and deploy deployable solar panels of CubeSat. However, with this method, accessing the solar panel's access port for charging the cube satellite's battery and electrical inspection and testing of the PCB and payloads while the solar panel is in storage is difficult. Additionally, the mechanism must have a reliable release function in an in-orbit environment, and reusability for stow and deploy of the solar panel, which is a hassle for the operator and difficult to maintain a consistent nylon wire fastening process. In this study, we proposed a pin-puller-based solar panel holding and release mechanism that can easily deploy a solar panel without cutting nylon wires by separating constraining pins. The proposed mechanism's release function and performance were verified through a solar panel deployment test and a maximum separation load measurement test. Through this, we also verified the design feasibility and effectiveness of the pin-puller-based separation device.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.7-12
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• 2015

In this paper, we report a non-explosive separation device for a small satellite which utilize a shape memory alloy actuator and spring clamp. In order to increase the preload, the proposed device employs spring clamp that can generate high toque when the shape memory alloy actuator makes the cylinder key unlatch a holding ball effectively. Owing to simple design of separation device configuration, we could obtain good repeatability(up to 30 times activation). Conclusively, we could develop a non-explosive separation device which can reliably activate within 1.2 sec under high preload(up to 300kgf).