TY - GEN
T1 - Liquid crystal device with microstructure for attitude control of spacecraft by solar radiation pressure
AU - Chujo, Toshihiro
AU - Ishida, Hirokazu
AU - Mori, Osamu
AU - Kawaguchi, Junichiro
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA. All rights reserved.
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - As fuel-free attitude control devices for spacecraft, we introduce Liquid Crystal Devices (LCDs). LCDs consist of multiple thin layers (∼ 150 µm thick in total) including Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal (PDLC) and a base film that has microstructure with aluminum deposited on it. By applying voltage, reflectivity of the surface of LCDs changes as the PDLC is directed to the electric field, and applying Solar Radiation Pressure (SRP) changes accordingly. In addition, the microstructure changes the angle of reflection only when voltage is applied such that incident light is reflected on the aluminum on it. These mean that LCDs can control both the magnitude and direction of reflection electrically, and three-degree-of-freedom attitude control can be realized by multiple LCDs mounted on a single plane controlling SRP. As light is diffracted on the microstructure and optical interference occurs, and PDLC has polarization effect, reflection on LCDs is a complex phenomenon and it must be understood for the design to realize desired performance. In this paper, we introduce basic reflection principles and a manufacturing method, and confirm them by making prototypes and measuring the distribution of luminous intensity. The performance of prototypes of LCDs is estimated based on the measurement. The results indicate validity of the reflection principles and the usefulness of LCDs considering the future view as attitude control devices.
AB - As fuel-free attitude control devices for spacecraft, we introduce Liquid Crystal Devices (LCDs). LCDs consist of multiple thin layers (∼ 150 µm thick in total) including Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal (PDLC) and a base film that has microstructure with aluminum deposited on it. By applying voltage, reflectivity of the surface of LCDs changes as the PDLC is directed to the electric field, and applying Solar Radiation Pressure (SRP) changes accordingly. In addition, the microstructure changes the angle of reflection only when voltage is applied such that incident light is reflected on the aluminum on it. These mean that LCDs can control both the magnitude and direction of reflection electrically, and three-degree-of-freedom attitude control can be realized by multiple LCDs mounted on a single plane controlling SRP. As light is diffracted on the microstructure and optical interference occurs, and PDLC has polarization effect, reflection on LCDs is a complex phenomenon and it must be understood for the design to realize desired performance. In this paper, we introduce basic reflection principles and a manufacturing method, and confirm them by making prototypes and measuring the distribution of luminous intensity. The performance of prototypes of LCDs is estimated based on the measurement. The results indicate validity of the reflection principles and the usefulness of LCDs considering the future view as attitude control devices.
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U2 - 10.2514/6.2018-0964
DO - 10.2514/6.2018-0964
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85044282306
SN - 9781624105333
T3 - Space Flight Mechanics Meeting, 2018
BT - Space Flight Mechanics Meeting
PB - American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA
T2 - Space Flight Mechanics Meeting, 2018
Y2 - 8 January 2018 through 12 January 2018
ER -