NASA is developing thin-film based, deployable propulsion, power, and communication systems for small spacecraft that serve as enabling technologies for exploration of the solar system. By leveraging recent advancements in thin films, photovoltaics, deployment systems, and miniaturized electronics, new mission-level capabilities will be demonstrated aboard small spacecraft enabling a new generation of frequent, inexpensive, and highly capable robotic precursor missions with goals extensible to future human exploration. Specifically, thin-film technologies are allowing the development and use of solar sails for propulsion, small, lightweight photovoltaics for power, and omnidirectional antennas for communication as demonstrated by recent advances on the Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout and Lightweight Integrated Solar Array and anTenna (LISA-T) projects.
Demonstrations of Deployable Systems for Robotic Precursor Missions
AIAA Space and Astronautics Forum and Exposition
2017-09-12
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Robotic Precursor Missions for Mars Habitats
NTRS | 2000
|Lunar Robotic Precursor Missions Using Electric Propulsion
British Library Conference Proceedings | 2006
|NASA Technology Demonstrations Missions Program Overview
NTRS | 2011
|