PAKAL ORBIT| Let's Connect
Let's Connect
PAKAL ORBIT- THE ORBITAL CONNECTION
Summary
Space exploration is one of the most exciting topics that exist but is one of the most challenging and difficult to achieve. PAKAL Orbit is a purpose of a system to build spacecraft in space in an easy, quickly, practical and economical way, optimizing resources to make assembly platforms. This system consists of nodes with multiple connections to assemble and disassemble beams to build a structure according to the needs of the spacecraft. A robotic arm capable of moving along the beam through rails on a beam will realize the construction of the spacecraft and the assembly structure itself through a mapping system receiving signals from every node used in the structure.
How We Addressed This Challenge
What is it?
It is a prototype of a removable mechanism capable of taking different positions and adapting to the user's needs. The dimensions and magnitudes of the beams specialized for construction and connection are taken into account.
Why is it important?
It can mean a big change to the point of view where we have already designed structures but this prototype could be used not only in situations of this type, but in connection of satellites, rockets and the creation of larger structures, what makes this prototype different is the change that arises due to the evolution of several models in space architecture and the need for a simple and efficient connection.
What does it do?
Generates greater stability at important points in the construction, the nodes adopt different positions and are easy to assemble / disassemble. It is not only an architectural method but also helps to generate structures quickly, so its applications are multiple. The generation of the cubic prototype will help the optimization of energy to the movement
What do we hope to achieve?
It is expected that the prototype will function in an easy, practical way and be generated from a more economical way. The generation of the cubic prototype will help optimize energy for rotational or linear motion. Similarly, the structure and structure connection generates great immobilization and resistance when connected.
How does it work?
It consists of a movable center with 6 points of greater mobility, it is shaped like a cube to easily mount a double T-shaped profile (or similar), which is held fixed by a sliding pin, it is movable by beams and a stepper motor, it uses solar electric current for mobility.
How We Developed This Project
The main cause of inspiration was the challenge, behind this challenge is sought something beyond a simple connection, like creating an evolution and expansion of structures in something that is simple and effective, The desire to venture into issues of great relevance as this type of project, sometimes one forgets the importance of small things to get the essential, small things make big changes. Develop projects to help humanity in the future and show the world that the best ideas can arise from the most unexpected part of the world always is insparing, and this motivates other people to make reality their own ideas and all together find the answers to the most exciting questions in the universe.
Many ideas have arisen over the years trying to give a solution about how we are going to build shuttles, satellites or bases in space, actually NASA has some projects about it like honeycomb to make telescopes structures shown in figure. Having this big challenge in mind and knowing that when the challenge will be overcome the space exploration will change exponentially and humans will have the capability to travel more and more into space, not only with mars as limit but to be able to do the first manned missions through our solar system.
Figure. Honeycomb by NASA [1]
To develop this project without counting the information sources to have references and a starting point the team only needs design software (in this case SolidWorks and Catia V5) and a text processor to make this paper to present the project. This project only has scopes about mechanical design, the part of control system, electronics, energy is left for a next step of development to the construction structure.
The biggest problem that the team faced to develop this project is communication since Space Apps 2020 was an online event and it is difficult understand the ideas of all the team member in a text message bun when everybody understood the methodology and all the ideas, everybody started to work in the same direction and the develop was easy and quickly.
On the other hand, talking about the problems and achievements to make the idea of the project a viable project was to find a way to do a simple removable structure to help to build new things in space. To solve this problem the team took inspiration on simple toys as shown in figure that have this principle and structures used on building constructions as shown in figure. Once accomplished the challenge of putting together this but ideas the team achieves to design the structure for the project as shown in figure 1.
Figure 1. a)Structures simple to assembly using in toys. b)Application of unions in constructions. c)Combination of two principles to develop the main idea of the project.
How We Used Space Agency Data in This Project
Any project can be made without having a starting point and references, the first step is always knowing what we want to do and what similar projects have been developed in the past. Data resources from NASA were used to know the background of the project and understand about the mechanics of the assembly process in space, and our project pretends to use a robotic arm to assemble the structure itself and whatever we want to build in space, being a multipurpose robotic arm. To design this arm, we took inspiration in CANADARM shown in the figure developed by CSA and we use his data sources to understand the mechanics of the arm and know more about the function and how it was made.
Figure. CANADARM's parts [3]
Project Demo
https://youtu.be/uoPrtc16oC8
Data & Resources
Reference:
[1]National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (n.d.). In-Space Servicing and Assembly (iSSA). (NASA) Retrieved from: https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exep/technology/in-space-assembly/
[2]NASA. (2007). Fearure. Reference: https://www.nasa.gov/missions/science/zipnuts.html
[3]Canadian Space Agency. (2018, June 21). Canadarm. (Goverment of Canada) Retrieved from
https://asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/canadarm/default.asp
[4]National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (2018, December 7). Honeycomb Mirrors Make NASA’s Webb the Most Powerful Space Telescope. (NASA) Retrieved from