Articulated device for space vehicles, especially for temporaril

Details Articulated device for space vehicles, especially for temporaril Articulated device for space vehicles, especially for temporaril

1992-02-20

1995-01-24

Ben, Loha

Optical: systems and elements

Optical aperture or tube, or transparent closure

359236, 359399, G02B 500, G02B 2602, G02B 2300

Patent

active

053846613

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns the hinging of an auxiliary element adapted to move more than once to a space vehicle. It is directed to sealing and uncovering an aperture for example such as that of a space type optical system, for example a terrestrial or space observation telescope.


2. Description of the Prior Art

As is well known, there are certain phases in the life of a space optical system during which its aperture must be sealed. This is the case not only during launching of the space vehicle into which the space optical system is integrated (until the space vehicle reaches its service configuration) but also during the subsequent normal service life of the optical system, especially if because of the attitude of the space vehicle the optical system is subject to external attack (risk of glare from the Sun, risk of collision with foreign bodies, etc).
The sealing and uncovering of the aperture of a space optical system of this kind presupposes at least the maneuvering of a sealing flap or panel between an open configuration in which the aperture of the system is uncovered and a sealing configuration in which no beam of light or particles can enter the optical system.
In actual fact the aperture of an optical system is conventionally surrounded with a wall which in practice is usually called the aperture baffle or sunshade and is designed in particular to minimize entry into the optical system of unwanted light reaching the system in directions angularly offset to the nominal observation direction. The sealing flap is often hinged to the aperture baffle when present.
It should be made clear that the sealing flap under consideration here has a function (temporary protection) which is entirely different than that of the shutter of a camera which has to be operated at high speed so as to remain open only for a very short exposure time.
In practice the aperture baffle is made up of flaps hinged to move between a stowed configuration compatible with installation under the launch vehicle nose cone and a deployed configuration in which entry of unwanted light is minimized. Note, however, that these flaps move once only at the beginning of the lift of the satellite when they are deployed whereas the sealing flap must be able to be opened and closed several times during the life of the satellite. It will, therefore, be understood that the operational constraints that apply to the sealing flap are much more severe than those which apply to the wall of the aperture baffle.
It should also be made clear that the fact that the sealing flap operates in the vicinity of an optical system rules out the use of lubricants not only because of the surrounding vacuum of space but also because of the risk of pollution by these lubricants of any cold surfaces of the optical system (in the case of infrared observations, for example, which requires cooling of the optical system itself).
The operating constraints that apply to the sealing flap may be analyzed as follows: reliable and remains so over long periods (several years with no possibility of direct human intervention): the mounting of this flap in the aperture baffle must, therefore, be very simple; opening the flap should the nominal operating mode fail; if the flap has ceased to be maneuverable it must be immobilized in the open configuration (priority opening); of storage (up to ten years, for example) on the ground and/or in the vacuum of space and must not be subject to the same risks of failure as the nominal mode (redundancy); must be preserved as much as possible from mechanical damage (acceleration and vibration) during launch, from thermal damage and from constraints associated with the vacuum of space; and technology).
A partial solution to the aforementioned technical problem is given in U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,856 which concerns the remote operation of the shutter of a photographic instrument, in particular for taking sequences of photographs in the medical field (so that there is no sealing flap in the sense ex

REFERENCES:
patent: 4286856 (1981-09-01), McGrath
patent: 4432609 (1984-02-01), Dueker et al.
patent: 4869021 (1989-09-01), Gregory
patent: 5128796 (1992-07-01), Barney et al.
patent: 5258874 (1993-11-01), Bajat et al.
patent: 5283682 (1994-02-01), Ostaszewski

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