DocM Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 The Tethers Unlimited's SpiderFab Trusselator: an additive manufacturing device from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program that fabricates trusses for spacecraft or space stations, complete with a solar array on one side. It has siblings that produce other large structures. I welcome our space arachnid overlords http://www.tethers.com/index.html http://www.tethers.com/SpiderFab.html http://www.tethers.com/papers/SPACE2013_SpiderFab.pdf SpiderFab? Additive Manufacturing and Assembly On-Orbit TUI is currently developing a revolutionary suite of technologies called "SpiderFab" to enable on-orbit fabrication of large spacecraft components such as antennas, solar panels, trusses, and other multifunctional structures. SpiderFab provides order-of-magnitude packing- and mass- efficiency improvements over current deployable structures and enables construction of kilometer-scale apertures within current launch vehicle capabilities, providing higher-resolution data at lower life-cycle cost. > > The Trusselator Effort: Under a NASA/LaRC Phase I SBIR contract, TUI is currently implementing the first step in the SpiderFab architecture: a machine that uses 3D printing techniques and robotic assembly to fabricate long, high-performance truss structures. This "Trusselator" device will enable construction of large support structures for systems such as multi-hundred-kilowat solar arrays, large solar sails, and football-field sized antennas. > Trusselator IsItPluggedIn and Unobscured Vision 2 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted June 1, 2015 Author Share Posted June 1, 2015 A Trusselator does the 3D additive manufacture of the trusses Paul Allen's Vulcan Inc. is considering investing in Tethers Unlimited's SpiderFab SpiderFab presentation Teleconference...(MP3) Slide presentation....(PDF) Long newspace article, short reference http://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/space-wa2/ Beames said Tethers Unlimited in Bothell is one potential investment. Although nothing is finalized, I can tell you, Im impressed. Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beittil Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 And technology like this is going to be one of THE reasons why companies such as Planetary Resources are going to be in high demand one day! Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unobscured Vision Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 And technology like this is going to be one of THE reasons why companies such as Planetary Resources are going to be in high demand one day! ... and it's technology like this that is going to be the stepping stone for Lunar- and MarsHab structures to be able to get onsite without needing multiple flights beforehand to deliver them. ROCK ON! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted June 1, 2015 Veteran Share Posted June 1, 2015 Intergalactic "LEGO" ....Adventure edition...... Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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