Awards & Nominations
NASCOM has received the following awards and nominations. Way to go!
Global Nominee
Cutter application for parachute reefing line
High-Level Project Summary
The developed device is used as a parachute reefing line cutter. It solves the challenge by avoiding the use of pyrotechnics while maintaining reliability and speed of operations. It is important because it is reusable and does not cause excess debris upon re-entry.
Link to Project "Demo"
Link to Final Project
Detailed Project Description
Operative description:
The device operates in a simple and effective approach where a trigger signal is sent to a micro-stepper motor that in return rotates a pin leading to a spring decompression. The spring with its end attached to a blade, when decompressed, cuts the reefing line. The proposed device is effective, shock-free, vibration resistant, and resettable compared to pyrotechnic devices. In addition, it is a low-voltage operation, small and light-weight (less than 1kg).
Components and materials:
Micro-stepper motor
Suitable for working temperatures between (-65 to 175°C)
Spring
stainless steel 316
Blade
CVD nano-diamond treated allowing for a sharper blade i.e. less power to cut and lasts longer
Cylinder
scalable, currently 19mm in diameter and mm in length
Software used:
- Rhino 7
- Solid works
- https://www.acxesspring.com
Space Agency Data
- https://www.nasa.gov/feature/final-parachute-test-qualifies-apollo-landing-system
- https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20090033119/downloads/20090033119.pdf
- https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19660020968/downloads/19660020968.pdf
Hackathon Journey
The hackathon journey for NASCOM's team started off very excitingly and we wanted to choose a challenge which tested our capabilities within mechanical, and electrical engineering. We identified that the "Let it go" challenge would be well suited to match our ambitions and capabilities.
One of the very impactful events which happened to us during the hackathon was the tropical storm "Shaheen" which made landfall on Muscat on the second day of the hackathon. We were very grateful that the organisers granted a 16 hour extension to the deadline.
As a young team who have only begun working together recently this experience allowed all the team members to feel part of the international space science community and be acknowledged at a local level. We hope to participate in many more challenges in the future.
References
- https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/CSM12_Earth_Landing_Subsystem_pp93-98.pdf
- https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20110016488/downloads/20110016488.pdf
- https://arunmicro.com/documentation/Datasheet_VCSM.pdf
Tags
#cutter #spacecraft #
Global Judging
This project has been submitted for consideration during the Judging process.