CTD Awarded Patent for Elastic Memory Hinge that enables High Specific Power Solar Arrays for SmallSats and CubeSats

September 29, 2020

CTD was awarded a patent (US Patent 10,790,778 ) for a Solar Array with Elastic Memory Hinges. This intellectual property delivers the ability to package solar arrays in extremely small volumes, further enabling CubeSat and SmallSat payloads that require substantial power relative to their weight resulting in specific power that exceeds 250 W / kg. 

CTD is currently leveraging this technology in several solar wings for CubeSat through SmallSat payloads including 6U, 12U, 1/2 ESPA, and ESPA Grande satellite bus sizes. CTD’s unique understanding of the utilization of elastic memory composites enables reduced part counts in satellites and increased satellite performance as the reduction in weight of the solar wing enables larger, more powerful payloads to be integrated on the spacecraft. 

This patent furthers CTD’s novel composite design expertise to enable satellite deployments for solar arrays, flat panel antennas, and other large surface area instruments and features.