Quasistatic Release Mechanism

Heliospace is developing the next generation of release mechanisms that generate "nearzero" shock upon actuation. When integrated into a deployment assembly, the Quasi-Static Release Mechanism'™ (QSRM"™) can be utilized for a multitude of applications, including state-of-the-art optical systems, Avionics & Sensors, sensors, or any application where mitigating shock is of paramount importance. The proposed release mechanism has several key advantages: (1) Relative to the current state-of-the art, development testing has demonstrated a two order of magnitude reduction in exported shock during actuation, as described in Section 2.2; (2) The unit's field reset-ability helps mitigate project cost and schedule risk by enabling technicians to reset deployables in a matter of hours; (3) Verification and Validation activities are significantly improved as shock becomes less of a design driver for qualification of associated hardware. Phase 2 funding will be used to increase the TRL of the Quasi-Static Release Mechanism from TRL 4 to TRL 6 . Broadly speaking, this will be achieved by fabricating a fully integrated system model and conducting testing in dynamics and thermal vacuum environments, among others. Qualification testing will be conducted utilizing the guidelines for environmental testing in General Environmental Verification Standards, GSFC-STD-7000B (GEVS). In addition, Heliospace will scale the device for a range of applications. The near-term objective is to develop a unit capable of releasing a 25kN and 10kN preload as well as the 2kN unit. Heliospace will also be conducting further research and development on state-of-the-art shape memory alloys that will increase the temperature range in which the unit can be operated from the current 90C up to ~140C. From a non-technical standpoint. Target markets are government and commercial space missions requiring deployment of both large- and small-scale deployable structures, mechanisms, and sensors.

NASA space missions requiring deployment of both large- and small-scale deployable structures, mechanisms, and sensors will benefit from the proposed system development. QSRM will benefit mission classes that range from sounding rockets, to Earth, lunar and planetary spacecraft as well as planetary landers, commercial space stations and large telescopes. Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), which is currently undergoing architectural trades, will undoubtedly perform complex deployments like those on JWST. HWO will require increased sensitivity of deployed instrumentation that is beyond the current SOA. For these highly sensitive instruments mitigating shock during deployments is of paramount importance. For example, JWST utilized 178 release mechanisms that were chosen partly for their "low shock" capability. But these variants required specialist, off-site, for reset and reconditioning after each deployment-this drove cost, schedule, risk, and test-as-you-fly verification exceptions. Furthermore, although these devices are marketed as "low-shock," they still export a significant shock, which remains a challenge to design for in these types of applications. It is unquestionable that a release mechanism that achieves a quasi-static release, thus mitigating shock entirely, would open avenues to facilitate the design and building of more advanced space telescopes, such as HWO, at a reduced cost and risk. In terms of the broader market, we envision CubeSat constellations being one major focus, wherever larger antennas are needed to increase communication capability. We also envision use on other mission classes, ranging from sounding rockets, Earth, lunar and planetary spacecraft and landers to commercial space stations.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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