Patent ID: 11962272
Assignee: MAXAR SPACE LLC
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  B | IPC B  H

Claim 0:
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a solar array foldable in a first direction in an accordion manner to form a stowed pack when in a stowed configuration and comprising:
a plurality of panels, each panel comprising:
a pair of rigid frame members extending laterally relative to the first direction;
a corresponding flexible panel substrate connected between, and having a cylindrical curvature between, the pair of rigid frame members; and
a plurality of solar cells on a concave surface of the corresponding flexible panel substrate; and

one or more flexible array hinges each connected between one of the rigid frame member of a pair of the panels to form the panels into a structure foldable in the first direction; and
a deployable frame structure connected to the foldable solar array and configured to extend the foldable solar array from the stowed configuration to a deployed configuration in which the panels are flat and stretched to flatten the flexible panel substrates in the first direction.