Serendib - Space Apps Challenge

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For bigger spacecraft capable of executing bigger missions, some of the assembly may be done in space. Your challenge is to design a simple approach that enables components to be assembled in space.

Simple mechanical lock and a Guidance system for In-space Assembly.

Summary

Our first idea is a QR code-based guide system that allows astronauts to easily see the plan of the assembly process by reading QR code through a scanning device. This will be easy for astronauts when assembling in space.Our second idea is simple mechanisms that can be used to assemble two parts together. In this, we introduce two mechanisms for connecting two parts.

How We Addressed This Challenge

This project gives simple approaches to two kinds of problems that are occurred in the assembly being done in space.

when dealing with assembling processes we need a plan or schematic diagram.In space carrying an assembly plan with an astronaut can be very difficult.our simple solution for that is , we stick QR codes in assembling sites. then astronauts can scan the QR code and download the corresponding plan from the database.

Since we need a method to join two components precisely and fast in space missions, we end up with two simple mechanisms.more details are in the presentation.

In future missions, we can use the methods described above. using that we can build huge construction easily fast in space.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1achw5iFWi84B47DUybQqfZGkvpLdJlmh/view

How We Developed This Project

Nowadays QR codes are very popular and texts and images can be added to QR codes. so we thought , could we add an assembly plan to QR code. then we don't need to carry an assembly plan with us. That is the way that our idea began.

Mechanism 1 for the assembling process was developed from the principle of a hook which is found in school bags. Here instead of the vertical movement of the clip hinged at one point, a horizontal movement was introduced in such a way that the bars are directed in the radial direction for the forces to be balanced. Few such units located at every component ensures the fixing of the two components to be rigid and stable.

Mechanism 2 for the assembling process was developed from the principle of clip in a typical ballpoint pen. First component is similar to the pen while the second component is similar to the clip. A small carve in the first component gets fixed to embossed part in the clip.

How We Used Space Agency Data in This Project

We got a clear cut idea through the given resource links and then substitute our idea along with the zip nut which is already using along with the space application. But with the screws sometimes it may be subject to slipping motions which is quite unpredictable. So we came up with this idea.

Project Demo

The solution consists of two sections. The first section is a guiding mechanism for the astronauts to find out the components that have to be fixed and to where it should be fixed. The second section consists of two mechanisms that can be used in the assembling process to fix the components.

A detailed description is provided in the presentation of which the link is given below.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1pWL7KJxAZaXrviX6hIAAw8q9OUbg2PyEOcT68OKLYIE/edit?usp=sharing