Conectores de mundos| Let's Connect
Let's Connect
Unit tresh K
Summary
This project seeks to facilitate a way to align and accommodate both ships when coupled. The idea is based on an alignment through 16 electromagnets (8 in each ship). Once a minimum distance has been established for the electromagnetic fields to affect each other, said magnets will begin to be controlled depending on the direction where the rocket has to move. The electromagnets of both the "ISS" and the ship to be docked, will change their polarity so that each preprogrammed case will be executed. For example: certain magnets will repel while others will attract. So there are other cases that bring a variety of benefits.
How We Addressed This Challenge
We developed a system based on the use of electromagnets to facilitate the docking of ships in space.
This new type of system is important because it is much simpler than the one currently used, it reduces the risk of jamming when undocking, and it is a more practical way for crew members to assemble both ships.
The operation of this system is carried out through the placement of 8 electromagnets in each ship, where the ISS electromagnets will always have polarity and will be surrounded by Teflon. Where we use this type of material as an insulator to avoid damage to the ship, the ISS and other circuits. This system works by establishing the minimum distance between the ships that the magnets will control depending on the direction of the rocket.
Within this project we hope to contribute knowledge to develop new space technology, to reduce costs, increase safety and ensure that the crew members do not do excessive work.
How We Developed This Project
We chose this challenge since we found it interesting and attractive to be able to create new mechanisms or systems that would help improve the assembly of spaceships and, also to see the immense progress of Spacex in terms of space engineering in recent years, where within this Hackathon We saw the opportunity to contribute in this field that has a great future.
This project grew out of the idea when seeing the complex docking system between the ISS and the Crew Dragon. Where then, we proposed several ideas and came to the conclusion of not only improving the couplings but also the spatial alignments.
The program we use to carry out the simulation is Tinkercad.
Finally, the difficulties we had were time and communication with the members, since some could not be connected in a continuous way because they worked, had school or university tasks, etc. and they decided to leave the project.
How We Used Space Agency Data in This Project
NASA and SpaceX Launch Astronauts to Space!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMsvr55cTZ0
When Crew Dragon docks to ISS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyNl87mXOkc
Guide Articles:
https://danielmarin.naukas.com/2012/06/25/como-se-acoplan-las-naves-espaciales/
These informative videos, pages and articles helped us to have a reference on how the ships were docked. In addition to helping us create our system based on the difficulties of docking and aligning the ship and the ISS.
Clarification!! Two of the articles are in Spanish
Project Demo
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1nmAHvS-uf0s-yKuZcfkL74gI4jk-ln3P?usp=sharing
Data & Resources
1- The "ISS" (although the international space station is not the only thing that rockets can be attached to with this system, we leave it as a default resource)
2- Coupling video published by NASA (this video was the one that inspired us to participate in this challenge to improve, facilitate and simplify coupling)
3- Solar panels (the solar panels of the ships and the ISS are very important since they will provide the energy to the electromagnets)
Reference links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMsvr55cTZ0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyNl87mXOkc
https://danielmarin.naukas.com/2012/06/25/como-se-acoplan-las-naves-espaciales/