Design Development of a Combined Deployment and Pointing System for the International Space Station Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer Telescope

摘要

This paper describes the design of a unique suite of mechanisms that make up the Deployment andrnPointing System (DAPS) for the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER/SEXTANT)rninstrument, an X-Ray telescope, which will be mounted on the International Space Station (ISS). ThernDAPS system uses four stepper motor actuators to deploy the telescope box, latch it in the deployedrnposition, and allow it to track sky targets. The DAPS gimbal architecture provides full-hemisphererncoverage, and is fully re-stowable. The compact design of the mechanism allowed the majority of totalrninstrument volume to be used for science. Override features allow DAPS to be stowed by ISS robotics.