SpiderFab*

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

Architecture)for)On.Orbit)Manufacture)of))
Large)Aperture)Space)Systems)

FISO*Brieng,*4Mar15*

Dr.)Rob)Hoyt)

Tethers*Unlimited,*Inc.*
hoyt@tethers.com)

www.tethers.com)

1)

This*is*how*we*
currently*deploy*large*
space*systems**

www.tethers.com)

2)

This)is)how)we)should.)
www.tethers.com)

3)

Vision)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

Create)a)Satellite*Chrysalis,)
consisKng)of:)
Raw*material)in)a)compact,)
durable)state)
SoEware*DNA)assembly)
instrucKons))
Capability)to)fabricate)and)
integrate)components)onJorbit)to)
form)an)operaKonal)space)system*
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4)

Benets)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

Deploy)apertures)&)baselines)much)
larger)than)can)t)in)launch)shrouds)
!
!
!
!

Higher*Power,*
Higher*ResoluMon,**
Higher*SensiMvity,**
Higher*Bandwidth)

OpKmize)design)for)space,)not)for)
launch,)reducing)system)mass)and)
complexity)

!55!!

Coilable!Booms!

!50!!
!45!!

! Lower*LifeJCycle*Cost*
Case.study)analyses)of)solar)arrays,)
sparse)apertures,)phased)arrays,)&)
telescopes)indicate*orderJofJmagnitude*
improvements*in*performanceJperJcost*

Phased'Array'!40!!
Gain'
(dB)'
!35!!

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Fractal!Truss!
Deployable!Mast!
H
Sm ighe
all r%G
e
a
Vo r%Sto in,%
lum we
e% d%

!30!!
!25!!
!20!!
0.05!

0.50!
5.00!
Required'Truss'Stowed'Volume'
(cubic'meters)'
ESPA%
Minotaur%I%
Delta%II%

5)

Horizon)ObjecKves)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

LongJterm*goal*is*to*enable*use*of*in#situ'resources*
to*construct*infrastructure*in*space*to*support*
humanitys*expansion*throughout*the*solar*system*

Table&3.&HighWZ&Material&Options.&&Tungsten#was#selected#based#on#its#high#Z2/A#ratio,#low#cost,#
and#compatibility.&&
Tungsten!

Gold!

Z/A!

0.482!

0.462! 0.477!

0.456! 0.436!

0.403!

0.403!

0.401!

Z2/A!

6.264!

11.08! 13.36!

13.23! 20.48!

29.45!

28.8!

31.69!

Silver!

13!

Copper!

Atomic!Number!(Z)!

!!

Nickel!

Tantalum!

Radiation&
Performance&

!!

Chrome!

HighMZ!Metals!

Aluminum!

!!

24!
28!
29!
47!
73!
74!
79! ISRU)Composite)
ISRU)Basalt)Fiber) Trusselator)
Atomic!Weight!(A)! 26.98! 52.00! 58.69! 63.55! 107.9! 180.9! 183.8! 197.0!
Structures)
Lunar)ISRU)
Basalt)

The use of tungsten provides a Z2/A ratio very near to that of gold or tantalum, making it effective at slowing electrons through the creation of bremsstrahlung and at absorbing bremsstrahlung
produced in earlier shielding layers. The cost of tungsten is significantly lower than the cost of
gold or tantalum, and is readily available in powdered form at the granule sizes of interest for
compounding VSRS feedstock material. For these reason we selected tungsten as our high-Z material.

Raw$PEEK$

PEEK/W$
ISRU)Matrix)

Positrusion)

Trusses)

PEEK/Carbon/Fiber$

C.type)NEOs)
)
mers
Poly

Figure&9.&PEEK&Pellets.&&Raw#PEEK,#in#pellet#form,#is#then#compounded#with#tungsten#to#form#
PEEK/W#pellets.#These#pellets#are#subsequently#extruded#into#filament#that#is#used#by#the#FDM#
fabricator.##We#have#also#obtained#PEEK/Carbon8Fiber#pellets#for#Phase#II#development#of#high8
er8strength#VSRS#components.&

Pressure)Vessels)

6)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

Value*ProposiMon*Case*Studies:*
)
Case)1:)NWO)StarShade)

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7)

Case)Study:))NWO)StarShade)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

New*Worlds*Observer*)

Uses)a)starshade)to)block)light)from)stars)so)that)a)telescope)can)image)
exoplanets)around)those)stars)

NWO ASMCS Final Report

s Observer: an Affordable
and Efficient Way to Revolutionize Exoplanet Science

Source:))Cash)et#al.,)NWO)Final)Report,)April)2009)

Addressed with Starshade:

ewhere in the universe?

r planetary systems like our own?
ary systems form and evolve?
and stellar system formed?

Blue Sky
O2

Counts/sec

H2O

Addressed with Telescope:

rk energy pulling the universe apart?

st stars, galaxies and quasars form?
ltimate fates of stars?

O3 edge

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1.0

(microns)

~80,000 km

NWOs primary science: discovery and characterization of terrestrial

exoplanets

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8)

Structural*OpMmizaMon*

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

Free*the*design*of*the*structure*from*the*
restricMons*of*a*launch*shroud*volume*
OpMmize*to*for*space,*not*launch*

Increase*Size*2J10X*
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9)

Make)it)BIGGER)
SOA*
Largest)deployable)able)to)
stow)within)a)launch)shroud)
62)m)

120)m3)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

SpiderFab*
124)m)

4)m3)

7.7)m)

1495)kg)

1495)kg)

4.5)m)

OnJorbit*fabricaMon*enables*2X*larger*starshade*with*
1/30*stowed*volume*and*same*mass*
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10)

Value*ProposiMon*
SOA*Deployable*

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

SpiderFab*

SpiderFab*Enables:*

! Observe*2X*closer*to*a*star,*increasing*
potenMal*number*of*EarthJlike*targets*by*
8X*
! Enables*JWST*to*perform*NWO*pathnder*
mission!*

30X*Stowed*Volume*ReducMon:*

16X*
More**
Planets*
per*$**

! Reduce)LV)from)2xDelta.IVH)to)1xFalcon.9)
www.tethers.com)

11)

Case)Study:)
Large)Antenna)Reectors)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

SpiderFab)Changes*the*Cost*EquaMon)for)Large)Apertures)
600"

Image)Scale)Indicates)
RelaKve)Size)or)Performance)

Astromesh)

Largest)Deployable)
That)Fits)in)Current)
Launch)Shrouds)

Est.%Aperture%Cost%($M)%

500"
400"
300"

100m)
SpiderFab)
Dish)

Harris)

200"

SpiderFab)

Monocoque)

100"
Data)Source:))Barnhart,)D.,)
Phoenix)ID)Brieng)2/11/13)

0"
0"

100"

200"

300"
Aperture%Mass%(kg)%
www.tethers.com)

400"

500"

600"

12)

Spiderfab%Tensegrity%Reector%Concept%%
Reasonable)Mass)&)Fab)Time)
Mass%vs%Diameter%

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

100,000"

1,000"
100"

300#m#Arecibo#In#Space##
Construc)on:+Tensegrity#Dish#Reector#
Est.+Mass:++1,500#kg#
Stowed+Volume+of+Material:#2#m3#
Est.+Time+to+Fabricate:+50#days#

10"
1"
100" 200" 300" 400" 500" 600" 700" 800" 900" 1000"
Dish%Diameter%(m)%
500"

300m)Arecibo.in.Space)Reector:)
))2,000)kg)
))2)months))

Fabrica'on*Time*(days)*

Dish%Mass%(kg)%

10,000"

450"
400"
350"
300"
250"
200"
150"
100"
50"
0"

Mesh"Applica6on"
Tension"Web"Fab"
Truss"Fab"

100" 200" 300" 400" 500" 600" 700" 800" 900" 1000"
Dish*Diameter*(m)*
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13)

Structure)ConstrucKon)
Need)the)4Ms:)

Manufacturing)
Mobility)
ManipulaKon)
Metrology)

Material)
Source)
Spools)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

Joiner)Spinneret)
Bonds)Structural)
Elements)Together)
to)Form)Support)
Structure)

Structure)
Spinneret)
Extrudes)Structural)
Elements)of)
Desired)Length)

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14)

Parabolic)Reector)ConstrucKon)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

SpiderFab)Bot)Builds)
Support)Structure)

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15)

Building)Large)Antennas)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

Recent)work)has)focused)on)building)2nd.
Order)Truss.of.Trusses)to)gain)~30X)
improvement)in)structural)eciency)

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16)

Parabolic)Reector)ConstrucKon)(1))
ReecKve)Membrane)for)<GHz)Freqencies)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

SpiderFab)Bot)Applies)
ReecKve)Membrane)to)
Structure)

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17)

Trusselator)Prototype)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

Successful)Proof.of.Concept)Prototype)
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18)

Long)Truss)Demo)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

Using)the)Trusselator)
Phase)I)prototype)we)
made)several)lengths)
of)rst.order)truss)
Longest)sample)was)
10)meters)long)and)
weighed)340)grams)
Forming)the)10m)
truss)took)
approximately)3)hr
)~5)cm/min)

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19)

Comparison)To)SOA)Deployables)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

EI'per'Linear'Mass'per'Diameter2'
2.E+06%
Measured%Phase5I%1st5Order%Truss,%%
Standard%Modulus%Fiber%

1.E+06%
ISIS%Mast%

1.E+06%
1.E+06%
8.E+05%

Metric'

GOES5P%

2.E+06%

6.E+05%
ISS%FastMast%
4.E+05%
AstroMast%

2.E+05%
SRTM%

0.05%

0.5%
Diameter'(m)'

0.E+00%
5%

IniKal)Trusselator)Samples)Achieve)Higher*
Eciency)Than)Flight.Heritage)Deployables)
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20)

2nd)Gen.)Trusselator)3U)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

3U)concept)can)fabricate)approximately)50*m)of)truss)
Material)spools)are)replaceable/rellable)
Symmetric)truss)geometry)
50mm)triangular)cross.secKon)truss)
Component)prototyping)in)progress)

50)m)of)truss)
from)3U)
Trusselator)
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21)

Truss)of)Trusses)Demo)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

Assembled)Manually)Using)Joiner)End.Eector)

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22)

Structure)ConstrucKon)Demos)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

ConstrucKon)Demo)
Using)Baxter)Robot)
Plarorm)In)Progress)
Under)NIAC)
SpiderFab)eort)

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23)

Truss)Assembly)Demo)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

Using*Baxter*robot*to*demonstrate*basic*feasibility*of*structure*
assembly*with*an*aordable*roboMc*plaeorm*

Developing)methods)for)o.loading)precision)requirements)to)jigs)&)end.eectors)

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24)

Building)the)Mother)of)all)Telescopes)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

How)to)fabricate)in.situ)and)obtain)opKcal.quality)precision?)
Build)stable,)
moderate)
precision)truss)
support)
structure)
Add)node)
modules)with)
metrology)
targets)and)
tune)them)to)
required)
funcKonal)
accuracy)
Snap)mirror)
segments)onto)
nodes))

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25)

M.O.A.T)

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Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

26)

Packing)Eciency)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

With*an*ESPAJpayload*volume*for*material,*SpiderFab*can*make:*

100mm)

7,000m)First.order)Truss)

1,750m)Second.order)
Truss)

1.75m)

555m)

Space)Plarorm)

Second.Order)
Ring)

1.0m)

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27)

MakerSat)Program)Concept)
2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

2021

2022

SpiderFab NIAC Ph II

Architecture)Concept)
&)Value)ProposiKon))

10.100m)Trusses)for)
deployment)of)
sensors,)arrays,)sails)

Trusselator SBIR Ph II

Truss)FabricaKon)
Module)
MakerSat I - Truss Fab Demo
Preliminary Design

In.Space)Manufacture)
of)Truss)

Detailed Design

100m+)structures)for)
telescopes,)antennas)
&)MW)solar)arrays)

Flight Build
Launch & Operations

Starshade Construction Ground Demo

Concept Development

RoboKc)Assembly)
of)Truss)Structure)

Robotic Assembly Development

Ground Demo of Structure Assembly
Flight System Concept Design
MakerSat II - Starshade Construction Demo

In.Space)Manufacture)
of)Truss)Structure)for)
)New)Worlds)Observer)
Starshade)

Preliminary Design
Detailed Design
Flight Build
Launch & Ops

28)

MakerSat)Demo)Mission)Concept)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

FreeJyer*6U*CubeSat*Trusselator*Demo*

Fabricates)50)m)truss)between)two)1U)CubeSats)
PotenKal)operaKonal)missions:)
VLBI)radio)astronomy)
GeolocaKon)
MulK.point)ionosphere)measurements)

6x1U)NanoRacks.compaKble)conguraKon)shown)
3x2U)CSD.compaKble)conguraKon)also)possible)

1U)Payload)
CubeSat)

2.2U)Trusselator)

50)m)carbon.ber)truss)

1U)Payload)
CubeSat)

Twisted)wire)for)power)transfer)
OpKcal)Fiber)for)High.Bandwidth)Data)Transfer)and)sub.ns)Kming)sync)
1.8U)Bus)

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Deployable)Antennas)
provide)omni)coverage)

29)

50)m)truss).)Scale)

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Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

30)

Starshade)ConstrucKon)Demo)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

ObjecMve:*Create*50m+*starshade*for*New*Worlds*
Observer*to*enable*exoplanet*interferometry*
1.
2.

Ground*eort*develops*and*demonstrates*roboMc*assembly*of*truss*
structure*in*the*lab**(GCD?)*
MakerSatJII*Flight*demo*of*inJspace*manufacture*of*50*m*starshade*(SST?)*

31)

Summary)

Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air

SpiderFab)architecture)combines)roboKc)assembly)with)
addiKve)manufacturing)techniques)adapted)for)space)
On.orbit)fabricaKon)enables)order.of.magnitude)
improvements)in)packing)eciency)and)launch)mass)for)large)
systems)
>Higher#Power,#Resolu2on,#Sensi2vity#&#Bandwidth#
On.orbit)fabricaKon)with)SpiderFab)will)enable)NASA)to)
accomplish)10X)more)science.per.dollar)
NIAC)&)SBIR)work)has)validated)feasibility)of)the)key)processes)
for)SpiderFab)
Ph2.Y2)eorts)is)maturing)tools)&)processes)to)TRL)4/5)and)
preparing)technology)for)ight)demonstraKons)
Aordable)pathnder)demo)can)create)new)mission)capability)
www.tethers.com)

32)

Transforma2ve#Technologies#
For#Space,#Sea,#Earth,#&#Air#

www.tethers.com)

33)