Patent ID: 11936335
Assignee: MOMENTUS SPACE LLC
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  B  Y | IPC B  H

Claim 16:
17. A method of providing a photovoltaic module and/or a solar concentrator in a spacecraft, the method comprising:
forming a solar array panel by depositing a working layer on a stiff substrate layer, the working layer configured to provide at least one of a photovoltaic or a reflective function; and
arranging the solar array panel in a stowed configuration on a spacecraft, with a spacer layer disposed between adjacent coils of the solar array panel,
wherein the spacer layer compresses the coils of the solar array panel around an axis of rotation,
wherein the substrate layer, when the solar array panel is in the stowed configuration, is configured to store potential energy which, when the solar array panel is released from the stowed configuration, causes the substrate layer to uncoil to a released configuration in which the solar array panel provides a photovoltaic module and/or a solar concentrator for the spacecraft, and
wherein the spacer layer is coupled to a drive mechanism that applies a force to the spacer layer to facilitate uncoiling of the solar array panel.