Structural Design and Thermal Control

Extract

Space Technology, internationally, is now in its second decade and already in this comparatively short time new skills and disciplines have emerged and are still emerging. In other papers you will have read of new developments and improvements in electrical power supplies, ion propulsion systems, attitude control and telecommand and data handling. But in the midst of this brave new technical world there is the still small voice of the structures engineer who it is commonly thought only has to offer his 18 gauge sheet suitably bent, honeycomb panels, rivets, brackets, and a simple practical outlook. Perhaps due to the elementary and familiar nature of his materials, the structures engineer tends to be taken for granted when compared with his colleagues working in the more exotic technical fields. The usual procedure followed when a new satellite design is being undertaken and the part played by the structures engineer and analyst is described. Examples are given and views expressed on design philosophy and its implementation.