Description: SDC?s Solar Transportable Array Rover (STAR) Power system is an inflatable structure integrated with state-of-the-art solar blanket technology. The inflatable structure and solar blanket are stored in a roll as small as 0.5 m in diameter and 3 m wide for a 2500 m2 array, achieving a 150 kW/m3 packaging efficiency. The bladder membrane thickness will be optimized for the prescribed pressure, realize a rolled packaging volume as low as 5 m3, hold the solar cells more than 1 m off the ground, and weigh as little as 500-750 kg for a 2500 m2 array. The optimized rolled packaging makes the STAR Power system installable across landers, transport vehicles, habitats, and power plant sites, providing a universal power solution for Mars habitation and exploration. In this Phase I SBIR, SDC will design, analyze, manufacture, and demonstrate a sub-scale STAR Power system inflatable structure. The design and analysis of the support inflatable bladders will focus on weight optimization to meet the pressurization requirements. The deployment/retraction demonstration will be conducted over both even and uneven terrain, and enable evaluation of initial packing factor, repacking factor, conformability, reliability, and durability.

Benefits: The primary market for the STAR Power system technology is Mars exploration and habitation. The development of the STAR Power system has been tailored to fulfill both stationary and mobile power system requirements. SDC has aligned the company and the technology development with the key players in the next generation of Mars habitation and Mars exploration, the primary markets for the Mars surface solar arrays. Target insertion programs include Orion and NextSTEP. NASA markets other than Mars surface solar arrays include: deployable booms on the ISS or other space vehicles, curved deployable boom structures for optimal packaging, optional packaging scheme for habitats, and solar power systems for SEP vehicles, satellites, and cubesats.

Additional applications include private space exploration, Mars and lunar habitation, solar electric propulsion, private space stations, private cubesats and terrestrial applications including deployable, transportable towers and booms, and light weight antenna structures. SDC estimates that a single deployment of the STAR power system versus other state-of-the-art options could achieve an ROI over 50.