Byu Solar Panel Origami

2 million was awarded to byu s compliant mechanisms research group of which zirbel is a part by the national science foundation and the u s.

Byu solar panel origami.

Highly compressible origami bellows. Byu engineers have teamed up with a world renowned origami expert to solve one of space exploration s greatest and most ironic problems. 156 panels cover zirbel s solar array to which solar cells are affixed. Accommodating thickness in origami based deployable arrays journal of mechanical design 135 11 2013.

Rigidly foldable origami twists. Origami is a source of inspiration for byu mechanical engineers who are working with the national science foundation nasa jpl and origami master robert lang. Byu designed solar arrays inspired by origami. Zirbel shannon a et al.

How origami is inspiring scientific creativity. Applying origami principles on rigid silicon solar panels a material considerably thicker than the paper used for the traditional japanese art the byu conceived solar array would unfold to. Single degree of freedom rigidly foldable origami flashers. Byu engineers hope to help back pain.

Solar power origami style nasa. Applying origami principles on rigid silicon solar panels a material considerably thicker than the paper used for the traditional japanese art the byu conceived solar array would unfold to nearly 10 times its stored size. Lang robert j spencer magleby and larry howell. Air force to research engineering applications of origami.

Trease researchers from brigham young university and origami expert robert lang have created working prototypes of the origami solar panels. Working with nasa s jet propulsion laboratory a team of mechanical engineering students and faculty have designed a solar array that can be tightly compacted for launch and then deployed. For more information on the design of the solar panel see these publications. Amanda kae fronk ba 09.

Brian trease at nasa s jet propulsion laboratory has been thinking about how it could be used in spacecraft.