Design and experimental study of a small and quick response SMA space release device

Space vehicles require a variety of separation and release devices to accomplish mission-related work, however, there widely exists the problems of shock and contamination, when conventional pyrotechnic release devices are employed. Take the example of the second dimension deployment of solar arrays, this paper had designed and tested a type of small, quick space release device that uses Shape Memory Alloys (SMA). Firstly, the whole structure of the device was presented, and its work principle was fully explained. Then, based on Liang-Rogers's SMA constitutive model, the actuator of the device was designed, and at last ground deployment tests had demonstrated success of structure and actuator design. It is concluded that the developed SMA release device awning advantages of small size, well synchronization, lightweight, low shock, no contamination and easy reset etc, will play an important role in developing future advanced lightweight space structures.