Orbital T126 User Manual

Hingelock

Hingelock

TEE Deployer

TEE Deployer

Model T126

Model T126

Introduction

Orbital’s Hingelock deployer model T126 was develpoed
to meet requirements for the Air Force Communications/
Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS)
mission. A total of six Orbital Model T126, Deployable
Electric Field Antenna Booms with Spherical Sensors were
developed as a part of the Vector Electric Field Instrument
(VEFI) experiment provided by NASA/GSFC.

Deployer model T126 is a motor driven mechanism
capable of extending and retracting a 1.12 inch
(2.86cm) diameter, 31.2 foot (9.5 meter) long Tubular
Extendable Element (TEE). For C/NOFS an eight
conductor flat cable is deployed inside the TEE to provide
power and signal to a 10cm diameter Sphere Sensor
located at the tip of the boom.

Typical Technical Specifications:

Antenna Element

Deployed Length: Up to 31.2 ft (9.5

meters)

Diameter: 1.25 in (2.86 cm)

Configuration: Hingelock
Material: Beryllium Copper,

0.0045 in thick
(0.1143 mm) thick

Thermal Control Silver and

perforations with
Teflon (if required)

Weight: 31.4 gr/ft

(with coatings): 103.12 gr/m

The deployer features electrical and mechanical stops at
full-extension and -retraction. A potentiometer, driven by
the moving element, provides a continuous indication of
deployed length. To ensure minimal distortions due to
thermal gradients in a space environment, material
perforations and thermal control coatings are applied on
both the inside and outside TEE surfaces. This unit is driven
by a brushless DC motor and can deploy or retract in orbit.

This deployment mechanism is designed to meet the
requirements of MIL-A-083577B (USAF), General
Specification for Mechanical Assemblies for Space and
Launch Vehicles.

Deployer

Length: (deployer unit only)

18.94 in (48.1 cm)

Including Sphere and Shadow Equalizer:

28.3 in (71.9 cm)

Width: 7.0 in (17.8 cm)
Height: 8.23 in (20.9 cm)
Total Unit Weight: (14 lbs. 6.3 kg)
Drive: Brushless DC Motor
Inverter Power: 300 milliamps

maximum at 28 volts

Deployment Rate: Approximately 1.0 in/sec

(2.5 (cm/sec)
Operating
Temp Range: -20C to +60C

Features

■ Spherical Sensor (10 cm ø) and extendable Shadow Equalizer

■ Automatic full-extended and -retract motor power cut-off

■ Full-extend and -retract flags

■ Minimal magnetic materials

■ Side mounting configuration

■ Non-flight protective cover for sphere provided

■ Remote mechanical caging tool provided

■ Deployed TEE alignment to within 0.1 degree

All dimensions are in inches

unless otherwise noted

Orbital Technical Services Division
5010 Herzel Place
Beltsville, MD 20705
Phone: [phone] FAX: [phone]
www.orbital.com

Hingelock TEE

Model T126

7500 Greenway Ctr. Dr.,
Ste. 700 Greenbelt, MD 20770
Phone: [phone] FAX: [phone]