Aerodynamic Subgroup
- ThinSat Team 4
- Jan 31, 2019
- 1 min read
Updated: May 3, 2019
The focus of the aerodynamic subgroup is to improve the aerodynamic stability of a thee ThinSat string to increase lifespan of the satellites during hypersonic re-entry. The focus of the design team is to rigidized the connection between satellites, an orientation locking mechanism, and sensor integration for confirmation of ThinSat string orientation in flight.
Rigidized Connection:
The first phase for improving the aerodynamic stability of the ThinSat string was to increase the rigidity of the fanfold connection. To achieve this task, the standard fanfold design, provided by Near Space Launch, was improved upon by adding additional nitinol strips to the system. After a two week compression test was completed on the fanfold it was found that the panels had been drastically rigidized by only allowing deflection of up to 2 degrees between the panels.
Locking Mechanism:
The joint locking mechanism will be used to set the fan folds coming off the main ThinSat to a desired angle. The purpose of the lock is to hold our ThinSat at desired angles for aerodynamic stability during the hyper-sonic reentry phase. The mechanism is a 3-component design that contains a main base and 2 connecting hinges. The 2 hinges have prongs that follow the path of the base and lock when the fan folds reach the maximum angle.
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