{"id":87,"date":"2023-10-17T17:48:06","date_gmt":"2023-10-17T17:48:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.orbitalconstructionpioneers.com\/?page_id=87"},"modified":"2024-07-15T22:44:35","modified_gmt":"2024-07-15T22:44:35","slug":"technology","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/orbitalconstructionpioneers.com\/index.php\/technology\/","title":{"rendered":"Technology"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n \n OCP System <\/span>\n\n \n \n <\/span>\n <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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OCP is developing an orbital infrastructure, which reduces the reliance on material from Earth, for the construction of large orbital structures. The development includes both a material consisting of a polymer binder combined with lunar regolith and additive manufacturing processes for the on-orbit manufacturing of structural components. Our goal for the infrastructure is to manufacture hexagonal, circular, pentagonal, and square panels that are up to 100 meters across, along with beams that have customer specified lengths for use in the construction of persistent human occupied structures (250 m diameter minimum) and sensor \/ detector \/ defeat platforms that can a have a span greater than 250 m.<\/p>\n

Our approach is not limited by launch vehicle constraints, the raw materials are lifted to space as bulk items. The payload size and shape constraints of a launch vehicle are negated as the items will be in the form of liquids, gases and powders which will fill any shape container. The only constraint will be the mass the launcher can carry. The manufactured components are now constrained by the manufacturing facility, which can be expanded over time, and not by a lift vehicle.<\/p>\n

The use of polymers as binders allows for the material to fit the missions. Different polymers have different strengths, radiation resistance \/ blocking and flexibility capabilities, the mission and \/ or placement of the component will determine what polymer properties are needed. The use of polymers also provides the ability to \u201cglue\u201d the panels together for large structures and for easy repair \/ refurbishment.<\/p>\n

The additive manufacturing printers will be completely different from their terrestrial counterparts. A printer that is 150 to 200 m across and free floating in\u00a0orbit will be very sensitive to Newton\u2019s third law of motion: Action and Reaction. Each movement of a \u201cprint head\u201d or \u201ctable\u201d will have to be countered with an equal but opposite force. The design must focus the forces of printing in one direction, allowing for a single opposite direction force to bring the system into equilibrium. The OCP printer design meets these requirements and has a patent pending.<\/span><\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n \n Material <\/span>\n\n \n \n <\/span>\n <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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The OCP program has its foundation in the ancient past. As outlined in a paper [1<\/a>]<\/sup> from the Geopolymer Institute, the Tiahuanaco monuments (Tiwanaku \/ Pumapunku) in Bolivia and possibly the Egyptian pyramids were built using a polymer \/ rock dust system similar to what we are proposing. However, instead of using molds and water, as the ancients did, we will use additive manufacturing and a waterless process.<\/p>\n

Our main goal, for all brands of Stellamer, is to use at least 70% of in-situ products by mass. In most versions of Stellamer, the mass can be any dry mass including regolith, dirt, or any other material from a celestial body.<\/p>\n

Two broad categories of Stellamer are being developed: Stellamer-P and Stellamer-R. Stellamer-R is designed for use in a gravity environment and has superior compression strength, while Stellamer-P is for use in a micro-gravity environment with excellent tensile strength and able to withstand impacts of micrometeors.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n \n Stellamer-P <\/span>\n\n \n \n <\/span>\n <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Stellamer-P is designed for structures in space that may be subject to micro-meteoroids, thermal and mechanical stresses. It has a higher tensile strength than Stellamer-R and can be used for pressure vessels. The construction of a pressure vessel would use a tri-layer approach. A ballistic gel like adhesive would be sandwiched between an outer layer that is semi-flexible and a rigid inner layer. If the outer layer is penetrated, the middle layer will seep into the breach and harden when exposed to sunlight, providing a minor self-heal capability.<\/p>\n

Stellamer-P will be used in manufacturing processes in microgravity. Liquids in microgravity form balls due to surface tension. Since Stellamer-P is a high viscous liquid, it will be subject to surface tension which could adversely affect the printed shape. To prevent this a UV activator is added that, when exposed to UV, forms a thick surface skin, negating surface tension.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n \n Goals <\/span>\n\n \n \n <\/span>\n <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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The initial goals for Stellamer-P are:<\/p>\n