ADAM Collapsible Truss System

ADAM Collapsible Truss System

The ADAM collapsible truss system from Able Engineering Inc., is, according to Tilbert [1]] something of a simplification upon the earlier FAST mast system produced by the same company. The ADAM system is deployed by a rotating nut at the base, which swivels each bay in turn upon spherical hinges and causes it to spring into a rigid box, as shown by Figure 3-18. Each box is then stiffened and secured as the diagonal cross-ties become taut resulting in a space-proven and highly scalable structure, the longest example of which reached nearly 61 m.

ADAM boom deployment in progress. Notice that the deployed structure is immediately rigid. From aec-able.com

http://www.aec-able.com/Booms/adam.html

Links and References

[1]] “Deployable Tensegrity Structures for Space Applications” PhD Thesis, Kungl Tekniska Hogskolan, Stockholm, Sweden

ABLE Engineering Deployable Space Systems website, http://www.aec-able.com/Booms/adam.html

ATK website, http://www.atk.com/products-services/articulated-mast-systems/%7Carticulated mast systems

ATK website, http://www.atk.com/products-services/coilable-boom-systems/%7Ccoilable boom systems

Aec-Able engineering patent on a non-tensegrity http://www.google.com/patents/US5184444%7CSurvivable deployable/retractable mast