SpiderFab*
Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air
Architecture)for)On.Orbit)Manufacture)of))
Large)Aperture)Space)Systems)
FISO*Brieﬁng,*4Mar15*
Dr.)Rob)Hoyt)
Tethers*Unlimited,*Inc.*
[email protected])
www.tethers.com)
1)
This*is*how*we*
currently*deploy*large*
space*systems**
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2)
This)is)how)we)should.)
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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)
Beneﬁts)
Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air
•  Deploy)apertures)&)baselines)much)
larger)than)can)ﬁt)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*
humanity’s*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
NWO’s 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*pathﬁnder*
mission!*
• 30X*Stowed*Volume*ReducMon:*
16X*
More**
Planets*
per*$**
!  Reduce)LV)from)2xDelta.IVH)to)1xFalcon.9)
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11)
Case)Study:)
Large)Antenna)Reﬂectors)
Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air
SpiderFab)Changes*the*Cost*EquaMon)for)Large)Apertures)
600"
Image)Scale)Indicates)
RelaKve)Size)or)Performance)
Astromesh)
Largest)Deployable)
That)Fits)in)Current)
Launch)Shrouds)
Est.%Aperture%Cost%($M)%
500"
400"
300"
100m)
SpiderFab)
Dish)
Harris)
200"
SpiderFab)
Monocoque)
100"
Data)Source:))Barnhart,)D.,)
Phoenix)ID)Brieﬁng)2/11/13)
0"
0"
100"
200"
300"
Aperture%Mass%(kg)%
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400"
500"
600"
12)
Spiderfab%Tensegrity%Reﬂector%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#Reﬂector#
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’)Reﬂector:)
)≤)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)4M’s:)
• 
• 
• 
• 
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)Reﬂector)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)eﬃciency)
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16)
Parabolic)Reﬂector)ConstrucKon)(1))
ReﬂecKve)Membrane)for)<GHz)Freqencies)
Transformative Technologies
for Space, Sea, Earth, & Air
SpiderFab)Bot)Applies)
ReﬂecKve)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)ﬁrst.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*
Eﬃciency)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/reﬁllable)
•  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.Eﬀector)
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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)eﬀort)
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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*aﬀordable*roboMc*plaeorm*
–  Developing)methods)for)oﬀ.loading)precision)requirements)to)jigs)&)end.eﬀectors)
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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)Eﬃciency)
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
•  FreeJﬂyer*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)conﬁguraKon)shown)
3x2U)CSD.compaKble)conﬁguraKon)also)possible)
1U)Payload)
CubeSat)
2.2U)Trusselator)
50)m)carbon.ﬁber)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*eﬀort*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)eﬃciency)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)eﬀorts)is)maturing)tools)&)processes)to)TRL)4/5)and)
preparing)technology)for)ﬂight)demonstraKons)
•  Aﬀordable)pathﬁnder)demo)can)create)new)mission)capability)
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32)
Transforma2ve#Technologies#
For#Space,#Sea,#Earth,#&#Air#
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33)