Tel Aviv's Uni satellite launched smart material for the first time in Israel's space history

Tel Aviv University launched a "smart material" into space - a folded polymer that unfolds to its original shape when heated

The TAUSAT-1 satellite of Tel Aviv University and the Center for Nuclear Research (MMG) whistles and is launched into space on March 14, and continues to make history: on April 9, at seven in the evening (Israel time), the signal is given from the control center at Tel Aviv University - and material A shape memory polymer (SMP) has changed its shape and deployed in orbit around the Earth. The nanosatellite was characterized, developed, assembled and tested within the framework of the Center for Nanosatellites on campus, a unique collaboration between the Ivy and Alder Fleishman Faculty of Engineering and the Porter School of Environment and Earth Sciences, in the Faculty of Exact Sciences and the Center for Nuclear Research - Sorek.

This is the first time that smart material has been launched from Israel into space, and the deployment mechanism developed as part of the program could in the future save the need to launch heavy mechanisms - and be used to deploy various components such as solar panels and antennas. The smart polymer is one of five experiments conducted by TAUSAT-1 in a tiny laboratory, measuring 10x10x10 cm, developed by the Space Environment Department at MMG.

"This is an actuator - a component responsible for moving parts and systems - based on a shape-changing polymer," says Prof. Noam Eliez from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering. "The actuator was developed as part of Debi Margoi's master's thesis and under the joint guidance of Dr. Ronan Werker from MMG Sorek and Shelley. On Thursday, April 9, we gave the command - and the actuator was successfully deployed in space. It should be understood that there were other nanosatellites launched from Israel, some were successful and some were not, but this is the first time that a satellite with a shape-changing polymer deployment mechanism has been launched from Israel. These polymers are smart materials that can return to their original form due to external stimulation such as light, heat, electric field or magnetic field."

Dr. Ronan Verker adds: "Smart materials are a futuristic and creative solution to the need to launch heavy metal deployment mechanisms. Smart materials allow us to control the deployment process without physical contact and without eye contact with the control center, and dramatically save on the mass and volume of the payload launched into space. The actuator we developed deploys in response to heat. In addition, the bending angle of the actuator also changes its electrical resistance - and by measuring the electrical resistance it is possible to get an indication that it has indeed been successfully deployed."

The airborne laboratory of TAUSAT-1 contains a series of other scientific experiments designed to study the space environment with the aim of finding better solutions for the launch and operation of satellites and spacecraft in this environment, including the measurement of accumulated ionizing radiation using a transistor detector with a thick oxide layer, which makes it very sensitive to accumulated radiation . The experimental system measures the variation of the threshold voltage values ​​for the activation of the transistor continuously and over time, thus enabling the measurement of extremely low radiation doses as well.

More of the topic in Hayadan:

• The TAU-SAT1 nanosatellite was successfully released from the International Space Station into orbit
• The first scientific nanosatellite designed and built at Tel Aviv University will be launched into space tomorrow night
• "Dokifat 3 proves that even under the threat of rockets and rockets it is possible to have quality scientific education" update on the success of the launch