Patent ID: 11912440
Assignee: MAXAR SPACE LLC
Field: Semiconductors (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  H  Y | IPC B  H

Claim 10:
11. A method, comprising:
folding a solar array structure into a flat configuration, the solar array structure including:
a plurality of rectangular rigid solar array panels configured to partially flex when compressed in a first direction and to flatten when not compressed in the first direction, each solar panel having a corresponding rectangular frame structure; and
a yoke configured to connect the solar array panels and the corresponding frame structures to a spacecraft; and

prior to attaching the solar array structure to the spacecraft, compressing the one or more solar array panels of the folded solar array structure into a flexed configuration, wherein each of the rectangular frame frames includes an opposing pair of rigid frame members connected to a corresponding side of the corresponding solar array panel and an opposing pair of flexible frame members connected in a first direction between the opposing pair of rigid frame members, where compressing the one or more solar array panels into the flexed configuration includes:
forcing the one or more opposing pairs of rigid frame members towards one another in the first direction.