CONNECTORS| Let's Connect
Awards & Nominations
CONNECTORS has received the following awards and nominations. Way to go!
Let's Connect
LEADS - Loading Electromagnetic Autonomous Docking System.
Summary
Our solution to the challenge "Let's connect", is the so-called LEADS - Loading Electromagnetic Autonomous Docking System. LEADS is a simpler docking system that involves both electromagnetic and plunger mechanisms. Our system works the following way: when a craft/satellite arrives at the docking port, the sensors align the craft accurately w.r.t the port and the craft will be captured magnetically, thus allowing the locking system to activate. Lastly, the system gets airtight sealed by the silicon rubber outside it.It is autonomous and occupies much lesser space when compared to the present mechanisms out there. Plus, maintenance is easier, and also has low initial and operating costs.
How We Addressed This Challenge
developed a mechanism for docking which facilitates in-space assembly, using this mechanism we can reduce the use of heavy constructing material for docking. It is important as In-space assembly is a vital technology for the expansion of humanity to the farther worlds, and therefore providing cost-effective ways to construct large structures is very important.
We are hoping to achieve an advancement of technology in the field of space research in a cost-effective way.
How We Developed This Project
We are all interested in spaceship technologies and designs and also science fiction space adventure movie. These inspired us to take part in this challenge. Our main approach to develop our project was to research whatever we can, to learn more about the science behind the docking system, how it was done in the past and what are the various types of docking systems currently used by various space agencies. We basically just used Google and NASA's data to know more about the subject. No coding languages, software or hardware were required for our project. The main problems we faced were that the existing docking systems were really good. It didn't have much disadvantages and therefore it was really difficult to come up with a new idea. We were all able to gain a lot of knowledge from this challenge. And we also met each other for the first time and learnt to work as a team. These were the main achievements we all gained as individuals.
How We Used Space Agency Data in This Project
We got to know different mechanisms of docking through the data provided by NASA. We used this data to improve our ideas i.e., by understanding the existing docking mechanisms and studying the advantages and disadvantages of those mechanisms. Developing something new out of it was really a challenge because the standard mechanism used by NASA today is one of the most efficient techniques.We tried to learn every single mechanism involved in this process through the data and finally developed a docking mechanism (LEADS) in a cost-effective way.