ABLE Current Projects

Astro

ABLE Engineering’s Autonomous Space Transfer and Robotic Orbiter (ASTRO) is a solar array assembly designed for a two year on-orbit mission life in a LEO orbit. It consists of two wings, each having a single panel populated with Emcore’s 27.5% efficient “Advanced Triple Junction “ solar cells. The ASTRO spacecraft is a component of the Orbital Express mission, solar array advanced technology demonstration program intended to develop and demonstrate autonomous techniques for on-orbit refueling and reconfiguration of satellites. The Boeing Company The Autonomous Space Transfer and Robotic Orbiter (ASTRO) Solar Array Assembly Power: Provides in excess of 1500 Watts at the end of the on-orbit mission life. Stowed natural frequency: >30 Hz Deployed stiffness: > 1.0 Hz Weight: < 15 kg ABLE will deliver its Autonomous Space Transfer and Robotic Orbiter (ASTRO) Solar Array in December 2004.
wsoa

ABLE Engineering’s Wide Swath Ocean Altimeter (WSOA) mechanical assembly is a deployable and highly stable structure designed for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Wide Swath Ocean Altimeter (WSOA) radar interferometer instrument. This spacecraft is designed to accurately measure height variations in the ocean due to temperature and current variations. The mission employs an interferometric radar, capable of providing ocean topography over 200 km wide swaths. The intrinsic cross-track resolution varies from approximately 670 m in the near range to about 100 m in the far range. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Wide Swath Ocean Altimeter (WSOA) -radar interferometer instrument Size: Two ADAM structures deploy back-to-back to provide the 6.4 m baseline separation for two reflectarray antennas. Each of the two 2.2 m x 0.5 m reflectarray antennas (located at the ends of each ADAM) consists of two ABLE ESS structures, deploying a total of five 0.44 m x 0.47 m panels. Deployed repeatability: ADAMs: <0.05 mm peak-to-peak deviation at mast ends. Antenna structures: < 0.03 mm peak-to-peak deviation for each of 20 antenna panel interface Thermal stability: <0.50 mm peak-to-peak deviation of each of 20 antenna interfaces Deployed stiffness: <6 Hz Weight: < 50 kg Program performance period is June 04 through May 06. WSOA to be launched on the JASON-2 spacecraft in QTR 1 07.
solar

ABLE Engineering (ABLE) has completed a major milestone in the advancement of solar sailing under NASA’s In-Space Propulsion technology development program. The first vacuum deployment of a solar sail system has recently been successfully demonstrated. This revolutionary propulsion technology has the potential to enable or enhance a variety of space science missions. This demonstration phase of the still-evolving Scalable Square Solar Sail system has yielded positive results, thus creating great anticipation within the industry. This 20-m sail technology will elevate the Technology Readiness Level of solar sailing sufficiently to allow flight implementation. NASA’s In-Space Propulsion Program Scalable Square Solar Sail System The sail is connected to the structure at three points, which provides for a deterministic structural loading condition and assures a planar sail shape. It is composed of three major subassemblies: The Sail Assembly, the Mast Assembly (qty.2), and the Central Assembly. The sail is composed of an aluminized 3-micron CP1 membrane with integral shear compliant borders and graphite edge cords. The sail and mast designs are readily scalable to a 40m or 80m system. Size: The 7-m carbon composite mast (diameter of 40 cm), which is a truncated length of the structure optimized for an 80-m sail system, possesses a 70 g/m linear mass. Weight: Extremely light weight: 10 gms/m2 Currently testing 20-m scale versions of the technology to increase overall TRL.
Next

The Next Generation Satellite (NEXTSat) solar array assembly is designed for a 12-month on-orbit mission life in a LEO orbit. It has a single wing design consisting of two panels populated with Emcore’s 27.5% efficient Advanced Triple Junction solar cells. Ball Aerospace, a member of the Boeing Orbital Express team, is building the NEXTSat spacecraft to perform on-orbit servicing demonstration for Phase II of the Orbital Express Advanced Technology Demonstration Program. This unmanned service vehicle will aid in the demonstration of autonomous techniques for on-orbit refueling and reconfiguration of satellites. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation The Next Generation Satellite (NEXTSat) Solar Array Assembly Power: Provides in excess of 550 Watts at the end of the on-orbit mission life. Stowed natural frequency: >30 Hz Deployed stiffness: > 2.6 Hz Weight: < 13 kg ABLE will deliver the NEXTSat Solar Array in November 2004.
GPS

The Global Positioning System (GPS) Block IIF satellites provide signals for continuous day/night, all-weather, three-dimensional positioning for worldwide navigation. The GPS IIF design offers the flexibility to easily accommodate evolving user requirements, such as new military or commercial frequencies. ABLE Engineering’s GPS IIF solar array assemblies are designed for use in this crucial mission. The arrays are manufactured for a 12 year on-orbit mission life in a MEO orbit with a 8 year storage capability. The assembly consists of two wings, each having three panels populated with Spectrolab’s 26.5% efficient “Improved Triple Junction “ solar cell. The Boeing Company Global Positioning System (GPS) solar array assemblies. Power: The arrays provide in excess of 2610 Watts at the end of their on-orbit mission life. Stowed natural frequency: >35 Hz Deployed stiffness: >0.28 Hz Weight: < 121 lbs ABLE will begin delivery of the first of 12 solar array assemblies in 2004 continuing through 2008.