Self-assembling wireless autonomously reconfigurable module design concept

Abstract

Presently, most spacecraft are one-of-a-kind or few-of-a-kind creations, optimized for some particular task, and containing as much functionality as is feasible. While components or subsystems may be re-used from one spacecraft to the next, there is a high degree of customization, which leads to increases in testing and verification costs, along with reductions in reliability. The self-assembling wireless autonomous reconfigurable module concept proposes a set of small satellites which can perform the functionality of a large integrated system, but have the advantages of avoiding substantial up-front design cost, flexibility in the reconfiguration of the system, subsystem level testing capability, marginal cost benefits of large production runs, and ease of on-orbit subsystem repair and replacement. These small satellite modules can be reconfigured to execute a large variety of tasks, such as astronaut assistance or solar tracking. The modules use wireless communication, which minimizes hard interfaces between subsystems, and remaining structural interfaces are standardized and autonomous. Different modules, such as computer, attitude control and propulsion, work together to provide autonomy in sensing and mobility. A set of prototype modules have been constructed and tested for structural, electrical, data transfer, and general performance measurements. Results show full compliance with design requirements.