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| | | | | | | Pioneering technology to explore other planets
16 June 2005
| The Italian company STAM's ultra-compact nutating gearbox
Credits: STAM | |  |  | |
| | | | | The Italian company Grado Zero Espace proposed to ESA's Innovation Triangle Initiative the idea of creating an 'intelligent' textile, rolled-up during launch, which expands when reached the correct position in space upon an 'electrical' command. The textile is created by use of state-of-the-art materials and technologies such as carbon nanotubes, novel rubber-like materials named 'nematic elastomers' and special 3-dimensional warp-knitted textile based membranes.
Credits: Grado Zero Espace | | | | |
| | | | | A candidate configuration for an 'intelligent' textile for securing large space structures could be a three-dimensional warp-knitted structure with three different textiles layers simultaneously manufactured and joined together, resulted in a highly functional textile sandwich structure. On top of this structure would be added a layer of conductors, a uniaxial carbon nanotube membrane actuator layer and another layer of conductors.
Credits: Grado Zero Espace | | | | |
| | | | Drilling in space
| The nutating gear system, developed and patented by the Italian company Stam, could deliver the required reduction ratio for drilling on other planets to take soil samples, with less elements than conventional used gears. The advantages are the compact dimensions, the wide range of possible reduction ratios from 10 to 3000 and the use of multiple tooth engagement, which reduces the need for high-strength gear material while allowing high torques and increased reliability.
Credits: STAM | | | | |
| | | | | DLR developed for ESA the subsurface penetrometer or “Mole” as part of the Beagle 2 Mars lander. The Mole advances into the soil by an internal slammering hammer system driven by a small electric motor and a gear reduction unit. To achieve the required reduction ratio of 280 a train of 4 planetary gears is used, involving more than 20 gears. The Mole is here seen in laboratory during development and under test in simulated Mars landscape.
Credits: DLR Institute of Space Simulation | | | | |
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