Project Title:

A Telerobotic/EVA Astronaut Compatible Fastener For Small/Medium

Honeybee Robotics
204 Elizabeth Street
New York, NY 10012

93-1      05.07     0661 A         Amount Requested    $69,968

A Telerobotic/EVA Astronaut Compatible Fastener For Small/Medium 
Sized Payloads

Abstract:

Presently, many small and medium sized payload modules are
secured in place with #10 screws.  Unfortunately, these screws cross
thread easily and require epoxy to survive launch, rendering small and 
medium payloads as non-candidates for on-orbit servicing.  An 
innovative fastener for payloads is proposed, as an alternative
to #10 screws, to facilitate telerobotic & EVA astronaut on-orbit 
servicing.  The proposed fastener is tolerant of initial 
misalignments yet cannot crossthread; also no lock down epoxy is 
required to survive the launch environment.  The objectives of
the research are to confirm the predicated performance of the 
innovation, determine the practical feasibility of the fastener
and to investigate the space qualification potential of the
innovation.  

The proposed effort is to design and fabricate, working
prototypes of the proposed fastener and to fabricate and test a
comprehensive breadboard version of a small payload module for testing robotic 
and manual change-out of said module.  The offerer expects the 
Phase I effort will lead to the production of the proposed
fastener which in turn will foster the development and production of 
serviceable small and medium payload modules.  The fastener 
development will also hasten the introduction of a comprehensive 
"fastening" strategy for telerobotic and EVA on-orbit servicing.

Use of the proposed fastener will accelerate cost reducing 
maintenance & repair designs for spacecraft and platform 
subsystems; designers will be free to develop small serviceable 
payload modules and maintenance strategies.  The innovation will 
also meet rising industrial demand for robot compatible fasteners
and an industrial demand for a vibration resistant fastener not 
requiring locktite.

Fastener, non-crossthreading, vibration resistant, on-orbit 
serviceable payload modules.