Session: 01-12-03: Spacecraft Structures 3

Paper Number: 161886

161886 - On-Orbit 3-Dimensional Assembly of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites 

There is growing interest in developing on-orbit manufacturing and assembly techniques, which enables fabricating large space structures that can exceed the weight and volume limitations imposed by launch vehicles. Numerous techniques have been developed for terrestrial manufacturing and assembly, such as mechanically joining composites via bolts and rivets, thermally bonding thermoplastic composites using fusion bonding and welding techniques or chemically attaching composite components through solvents or adhesives. Adaptations of these methods to be compatible with space environments are critical to achieve on-orbit manufacturing and assembly. This research focuses on adapting fusion bonding techniques for the space environment. To achieve the required heating in the absence of external sources, ultrathin resistive heaters are embedded in carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite pieces. Test structures have been successfully manufactured and assembled by locally melting the thermoplastic composite at the bonding surface, with the aid of mortise and tenon mechanical joints providing sufficient bonding pressure. A three-point bending test and a lap-joint shear test are used to characterize the strength of the bonded structure. A parametric investigation of the geometric design of the heaters via numerical simulation has been done to reach an optimal design to minimize temperature variations throughout a single lap shear joint while minimizing surface area of the heater. A coupled thermal-electric finite element method has been conducted to predict the assembly performances under low-earth-orbit conditions, which will be verified experimentally through bonding and assembly in a simulated low-earth-orbit environmental vacuum chamber.

Presenting Author: Yao Yao University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Presenting Author Biography: Yao is a Ph.D. Candidate in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, working under the guidance of Dr. Xin Ning. He holds a dual Bachelor of Science degree in Materials Science and Engineering and Engineering Physics, also from UIUC. Yao's research focuses on the development of flexible electronic smart skins to enhance the multifunctionality of space structures. Throughout his Ph.D. studies, he has gained extensive expertise in designing and conducting space environment testing for advanced space structures. He expects to graduate in the summer of 2025 and aims to pursue an academic faculty position to advance research in multifunctional space structures.