Modular spacecraft design architecture

A spacecraft system comprising a stack of modules, the stack of modules including:

• an anchor module,
• an upper module, and
• a plurality of intermediate modules arranged between the anchor module and the upper module,
• wherein:
• each intermediate module of the plurality of intermediate modules provide a common mechanical interface and a common electrical interface, such that a coupling of each intermediate module to its adjacent modules provides a structural integrity and an electronic integrity that extends across an entirety of the stack of modules,
• each intermediate module is generally structured as a polygon, with a plurality of tabs and a plurality of recesses on a periphery of the polygon, and
• the plurality of tabs are configured to couple to corresponding plurality of recesses in an adjacent module on the stack of modules.

A spacecraft system comprising a stack of modules, the stack of modules including:

• an anchor module,
• an upper module, and
• a plurality of intermediate modules arranged between the anchor module and the upper module,
• wherein:
• each intermediate module of the plurality of intermediate modules provide a common mechanical interface and a common electrical interface, such that a coupling of each intermediate module to its adjacent modules provides a structural integrity and an electronic integrity that extends across an entirety of the stack of modules, and
• each intermediate module includes one or more elements that facilitate a determination of the intermediate module's relative location on the stack of modules.

1 A spacecraft system comprising a stack of modules, the stack of modules including:

• an anchor module,
• an upper module, and
• a plurality of intermediate modules arranged between the anchor module and the upper module,
• wherein:
• each intermediate module of the plurality of intermediate modules provide a common mechanical interface and a common electrical interface, such that a coupling of each intermediate module to its adjacent modules provides a structural integrity and an electronic integrity that extends across an entirety of the stack of modules, and
• each intermediate module includes one or more elements that facilitate a determination of the intermediate module's relative orientation within the stack of modules.

A spacecraft system comprising a stack of modules, the stack of modules including:

• an anchor module,
• an upper module, and
• a plurality of intermediate modules arranged between the anchor module and the upper module,
• wherein
• each module of the plurality of intermediate modules:
• has a common cross-section profile that is substantially hexagonal in form, and
• provides a common mechanical interface, such that a coupling of each intermediate module to its adjacent modules provides a structural integrity that extends across an entirety of the stack of modules.

A spacecraft module that includes:

• a function component,
• an electrical interface to the function component, and
• a mechanical interface,
• wherein:
• the mechanical interface is configured to couple the spacecraft module in series between a pair of adjacent modules, independent of a function of each of the adjacent module, and to provide a structural integrity to the pair of adjacent modules and the spacecraft module,
• the electrical interface is configured to couple each of the pair of adjacent modules to the function component and to each other, and
• the module is configured to be substantially thermally isolated from the adjacent modules.

A spacecraft module comprising:

• a plurality of solar panels that are arranged:
• to be stored substantially within an interior of the spacecraft module during a launch of the spacecraft module, and
• to be deployed substantially exterior to the spacecraft module after the launch of the spacecraft module, and
• a plurality of deployment mechanisms that are configured to extend the panels in the radial direction during deployment,
• wherein:
• the plurality of solar panels include substantially rigid panels that are configured to be extended in a radial direction from the interior of the spacecraft during deployment, and
• the plurality of deployment mechanisms are also configured to provide control of an orientation of the plurality of panels after deployment.