Monica Jackson
NASA has licensed a patented technology to Thermal Management Technologies to develop the North Logan, Utah-based company’s small satellite release mechanism.
The space agency said Monday TMT can use the Diminutive Assembly for Nanosatellite deploYables as basis for the Gecko Release Mechanism, which is designed to incorporate a gecko’s size and gripping capabilities.Â
DANY stores deployable elements of a small satellite such as solar arrays, sun shades, radiators or antennas within a spacecraft before they are used in space.
Scott Schick, director of engineer at TMT, stated that DANY has made it possible for the company to meet its goals of developing a smallsat with thermal control components.
NASA has used DANY on the Dellingr spacecraft, which was launched into low-Earth orbit in November 2017 to monitor and record the sun’s impact on Earth’s upper atmosphere.
TMT develops custom thermal and mechanical products and spacecraft hardware and systems for aerospace, commercial, and industrial applications.
