Rotor assembly including strain relief feature

A rotor assembly for deployment within the inner gimbal assembly of a control moment gyroscope (CMG), the rotor assembly comprising:

• a first rotor shell piece;
• a second rotor shell piece;
• a rotor shaft fixedly coupled to the first rotor shell piece and to the second rotor shell piece;
• and
• a rotor rim comprising first and second annular grooves extending radially from a first surface of the rotor rim toward a second surface of the rotor rim, the first and second annular grooves defining first and second strain relief members mechanically coupling the rotor rim to the first rotor shell piece and to the second rotor shell piece, respectively.

A rotor assembly for deployment within the inner gimbal assembly of a control moment gyroscope (CMG), the rotor assembly comprising:

• a first rotor shell piece;
• a second rotor shell piece;
• a rotor shaft fixedly coupled to the first rotor shell piece and to the second rotor shell piece;
• and
• a rotor rim, comprising:
• an annular body having a first radial face and having a second radial face substantially opposite the first radial face;
• a first strain relief member having a first end portion fixedly coupled to the annular body proximate the first radial face and having a second end portion welded to the first rotor shell piece to form a first rim-shell weld joint;
• and
• a second strain relief member having a first end portion fixedly coupled to the annular body proximate the second radial face and having a second end portion welded to the second rotor shell piece to form a second rim-shell weld joint, the first strain relief member and the second strain relief member each having a flexibility sufficient to reduce the mechanical stress experienced by the first rim-shell weld joint and the second rim-shell weld joint during operation of the CMG.