Simulating space deployments — tested on Earth

The star of the video is therefore not only the passive deployment mechanism HAA, which is manufactured in series, but also the robotic ZeroG offloader developed by CST. The video itself shows a deployment sequence performed as part of the Dynamic Life Test within the qualification campaign for the Copernicus missions.

Shown in this video is the Deployment Qualification Model, or shortly D‑QM.
It consists of so‑called narrow frames that act as simulators for solar array panels, with Hinge Axis Assemblies (HAA) (deployment mechanisms) inbetween. The narrow frames are made of CFRP profiles from CarboSpaceTech (CST) and are filled with weights in order to simulate the mass of a panel while keeping aerodynamic drag as low as possible.

These narrow frames, in combination with our robotic ZeroG offloader, enable us to simulate a deployment sequence under space conditions (vacuum and weightlessness). However, the D‑QM is not intended for testing CFRP profiles; it was built specifically for the development of the HAAs. Thanks to its simple setup and the ZeroG system, at STI we can not only simulate deployment sequences, but also easily modify and repeat them. This allows dynamic life tests to be carried out as part of qualification campaigns or development testing for new designs.