Spacecraft antenna restraint system
A spacecraft system may include a first spacecraft having a chassis and a first antenna moveably mounted to the chassis, and a second spacecraft having a chassis, wherein the second spacecraft is adjacent the first spacecraft during launch to define a stacked configuration, and a passive restraint system defined between the first and second spacecraft that is configured to substantially prevent movement of the first antenna in a launch position while in a launch state when the first and second spacecraft are in a stacked configuration.
1 . A spacecraft system, comprising:
a first spacecraft having a chassis and a first antenna moveably mounted to the chassis;
a second spacecraft having a chassis, wherein the second spacecraft is adjacent the first spacecraft during launch to define a stacked configuration; and
a passive restraint system defined between the first and second spacecraft that is configured to substantially prevent movement of the first antenna in a launch position while in a launch state when the first and second spacecraft are in the stacked configuration, wherein the passive restraint system includes a first support member having a first end portion coupled to the chassis of the first spacecraft and a second end portion coupled to the first antenna and disposed between the chassis of the first spacecraft and the first antenna when the first antenna is in the launch position, and a second support member directly coupled to the first support member and extending to the second spacecraft.
2 . The spacecraft system of claim 1 , wherein the first antenna is configured to be movable after launch in a deployed state to a deployed position.
3 . The spacecraft system of claim 2 , wherein upon substantially simultaneous deployment of the first and second spacecraft, the first antenna of the first spacecraft is released from being substantially restrained in the launch position such that the first antenna may transition into the deployed position.
4 . The spacecraft system of claim 3 , wherein the first and second spacecraft are powered up prior to deployment.
5 . The spacecraft system of claim 2 , wherein the launch state is a power off state, and the deployed state is a powered state.
6 . The spacecraft system of claim 1 , wherein the launch state is a power off state.
7 . The spacecraft system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second spacecraft are deployed in a single spacecraft stack release event.
8 . A first spacecraft configured to be positioned adjacent a second spacecraft in a stacked configuration, the first spacecraft comprising:
a chassis;
a first antenna moveably mounted to the chassis, wherein the first antenna is configured to transition from a first, launch position to a second, deployed position; and
a passive restraint system configured to substantially prevent movement of the first antenna in the first, launch position while in a launch state when the first spacecraft is positioned adjacent the second spacecraft in the stacked configuration, wherein the passive restraint system includes a first support member coupled to the first antenna and disposed between the chassis and the first antenna when the first antenna is in the first, launch position, and a second support member directly coupled to the first support member and extending to the second spacecraft.
9 . The first spacecraft of claim 8 , wherein upon substantially simultaneous deployment of the first and second spacecraft, the first antenna of the first spacecraft is released from being substantially restrained in the first, launch position such that the first antenna may transition into the second, deployed position.
10 . The first spacecraft of claim 8 , wherein the launch state is a power off state, and the deployed state is a powered state.
11 . The first spacecraft of claim 8 , wherein the launch state is a power off state.
12 . The first spacecraft of claim 8 , wherein the first antenna is moveable by a gimbaling system that is controllable.
13 . The first spacecraft of claim 12 , wherein the gimbaling system is powered off in the launch state.
14 . A method of launching and releasing spacecraft from a rocket, the method comprising:
orienting a first antenna of a first spacecraft in a launch position, wherein the first spacecraft includes a chassis coupled to the first antenna;
arranging a second spacecraft adjacent to the first spacecraft to define a stacked spacecraft configuration in the rocket, wherein a passive restraint system is defined between the first and second spacecraft when the first and second spacecraft are in the stacked spacecraft configuration, and wherein the passive restraint system includes a first support member having a first end portion coupled to the chassis of the first spacecraft and a second end portion coupled to the first antenna and disposed between the chassis and the first antenna when the first antenna is in the launch position, and a second support member directly coupled to the first support member and extending to the second spacecraft;
launching the rocket;
substantially preventing movement of the first antenna in a launch state; and
deploying the first and second spacecraft from the stack into space to allow movement of the first antenna into a deployed position.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first spacecraft is unpowered in the launch state.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising powering on the first and second spacecraft subsequent to launching the rocket.
17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising moving the first antenna into the deployed position by a gimbaling system that is controllable.