WELCOME TO SKYWALKERS
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WELCOME TO SKYWALKERS
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LEARN MORE ABOUT SKYWALKERS
TEAM
MOTIVATION AND GOALS
MOTIVATION AND GOALS
about the company
MOTIVATION AND GOALS
MOTIVATION AND GOALS
MOTIVATION AND GOALS
what, why, and how
PRODUCT
PRODUCT
PRODUCT
design and usage
FUTURE
PRODUCT
PRODUCT
plans and prospects
CORE MEMBERS OF SKYWALKERS
Rain Chai
Rain Chai
Rain Chai
Responsible for the commercial parts of our products
CEO of Skywalkers
Doris He
Rain Chai
Rain Chai
Responsible for the technological parts of our products
Core Technician of Skywalkers
Motivation
The Problems
The impact of the aerospace industry on mankind is enormous. With the development of the it, how to ensure the normal operation of spacecraft solar panels becomes a serious issue. Traditional maintaining involves manual interventions through complex and costly spacewalks and self-cleaning, presenting challenges and risks that compromise safety, efficiency, cost, mission duration and sustainability.
The harsh space environment poses harms to solar panels, such as the accumulation of debris and dust, potential damage from micrometeoroids, and wear-and-tear over time. The current reliance on human spacewalks for maintenance not only requires extensive resources but also exposes astronauts to increased risks during extended missions. This is because each manned launch costs at least tens of millions of dollars, and astronauts are exposed to high radiation and high voltages for an average of seven hours during a spacewalk (four hours for the way to solar panel).
While many spacecraft solar panels are self-cleaning, various mechanisms are utilized to reduce dust and debris build-up, or to increase power generation by spinning. However, spacecraft that carry out low-Earth orbit missions, such as the International Space Station, are exposed to relatively high levels of atmospheric drag and residual atmosphere, which can cause contaminants to build up on the solar panels, including dust, particles, and residues from thruster ignition. For missions outside of low-Earth orbit, such as the Webb telescope or the landers on Mars and Moon, power generation can be significantly affected by micrometeoroid impacts or other types of pollutants that accumulate during long-term missions. Similar situations cannot be solved by self-cleaning, and it is easy to cause space debris pollution during the process.
We Need To Take Action!
We decided to invent a customized climbing robot that can replace manual operations and assist the self-cleaning system in order to maintain the solar panels during the mission. It will be installed on every spacecraft as an aerospace standardized configuration with a sleeping pod, a charging device, a track change device, and a communication system.
Four Main Goals
Stay Safe
Save Money
Save Money
fully automated process, no spacewalks required
Save Money
Save Money
Save Money
accompany the entire mission without the expense of additional manned launches and spacewalks
Save Time
Consistent With The Objections of Space Exploration
Consistent With The Objections of Space Exploration
precise positioning, no preparation required
Consistent With The Objections of Space Exploration
Consistent With The Objections of Space Exploration
Consistent With The Objections of Space Exploration
long-term solar panel maintenance is integral to achieving mission objectives, promoting mission sustainability, and unlocking the full potential of spacecraft over their operational lifetimes
Generation I (Demo)
Basic Information
Name: Skywalker I (Standard Size)
Selling Price: $129,800 per set
Positioning: Customized Aerospace Standardized Configuration
Main Function: Clean, Inspect, Repair Spacecraft's Solar Panels
Length: 260mm
Width: 240mm
Height: 30mm
Weight: 950g : 450g demo mass+500g titanium coat (not shown above)
Material: ABS Plastic Coated With Titanium
Energy Supply: 9V rechargeable Lithium-ion battery
Controller: ESP32
Maximum Speed: 1.5cm/s
Inspired by: Robot Design Engineering Lab
Control mechanisms: Auto-control
Applicable spacecraft type: LEO, GEO, interplanetary probe, deep space, lander...
Notes: The specific scale-up ratio, price and the number of robots that carried are determined by the number and size of solar panels of particular spacecraft; The specific frequency of use is determined by the type of the mission of particular spacecraft. Contact us for more detailed information.
Recommendation: Standard size is suitable for most spacecraft; Each unit of solar panel should equipped with one Skywalker; Foldable panels should consider the size
(final product is not exactly the same as the above demo picture)
Design
Structure
-two modules, four small units, twelve tracks, enhance stability
-drive by motors between units, plenty of power
-servos in connector, adjust posture
-0.5mm titanium coat, effectively prevent components and electronic components from being corroded or irradiated during the mission
Why choose adhesive tracks?
According to the adsorption mechanism of wall-climbing robots, they can be divided into four categories: negative pressure adsorption, magnetic adsorption, grab buckle adsorption and bionic adsorption. In order for the robot to work in space, keep energy consumption low, and maintain normal productivity during the period of aerospace mission, bionic adsorption is the best choice.
Typically, bionic adsorption robots choose to use tiny bristle-like fiber tracks or micro-adhesive array tracks. Although not shown in the demo, our final product will be equipped with one of these two tracks to ensure that the robot is always in the most effective working condition.
Advantages
-Adaptable in space: firmly attached tape tracks allow the robot to work at moving or stationary spacecraft, and titanium coating and rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries ensure the life and efficiency of the robot
-Energy-saving: battery powered only, no energy is used at rest
-Multifunction: different maintenance tools are available to carry
-Economical: durable and effective
How To Use
The robot is loaded in a sleeping pod and continuously recharged before launch. The pod shares footage with the cameras on the outside of the spacecraft. When it recognizes a potential task, it opens the hatch and releases the robot. After the robot is released, it activates the movement mechanism and arrives at the target area to complete the task. Garbage that appears during the mission is brought back to the sleeping pod, and it re-entered through an open hatch and the hatch then closed. The sleeping pod then replaces the robot‘s tracks and recharges it.
Generation II (Demo)
Basic Information
Name: Skywalker II (Standard Size)
Selling Price: $159,800 per set
Positioning: Customized Aerospace Standardized Configuration
Main Function: Clean, Inspect, Repair Spacecraft's Solar Panels
Length: 330mm
Width: 260mm
Height: 30mm
Weight: 1050g: mass 600g+titanium coat 550g (not shown above)
Material: ABS Plastic Coated With Titanium
Energy Supply: 9V rechargeable Lithium-ion battery
Controller: ESP32
Maximum Speed: 1.5cm/s
Control mechanisms: Auto-control
Applicable spacecraft type: LEO, GEO, interplanetary probe, deep space, lander...
Notes: The specific scale-up ratio, price, and the number of robots that carried are determined by the number and size of solar panels of particular spacecraft; The specific frequency of use is determined by the type of the mission of particular spacecraft. Contact us for more detailed information.
Recommendation: Standard size is suitable for most spacecraft; Each unit of solar panel should equipped with one Skywalker; Foldable panels should consider the size.
(final product is not exactly the same as the above demo picture)