Abstract: A sphere and cable deployer apparatus for deploying a cable and associated spheres from a vehicle such as a spinning satellite. The sphere and cable deployer apparatus has a drum for storing the cable that is driven by a drive shaft and gears form a drive motor to deploy the cable and sphere away from the satellite. The drive motor also drives a drive roller through a series of gears and clutch that applies tension to the cable as it is being unwound from the drum. The sphere and cable deployer apparatus also has a housing with an outer and inner pair of shell-like halves that pivot outward due to spring forces to release the spheres. Each pair of pivoting housing halves also provide a storage compartment for a short cable portion that is attached to that sphere.

Abstract: A sphere and cable deployer apparatus for deploying a cable and associated sphere from a vehicle such as a satellite. The sphere and cable deployer apparatus has a drum for storing the cable that is driven by a drive shaft and gears form a drive motor to deploy the cable/sphere away. The drive motor also drives a drive roller through a series of gears and clutches that applies tension to the cable as it is being unwound from the drum. The sphere and cable deployer apparatus also has a sphere housing with two shell-like halves that pivot outward due to spring forces to release the sphere. The pivoting housing halves also provide a storage compartment for a short cable that is attached to the outer surface of the sphere. The pivoting housing halves are held in place by two cables that are under tension and associated pins that fit in holes in the housing halves and are released by cable cutters that cut the cables.

Abstract: A change of state coupling for controlling the rotation of a rotatable shaft in a housing through the application of heat. A disk is secured for rotation with the portion of the shaft that is located within the housing. Heaters are also located within the housing and a liquid predetermined temperature change of state material is located in the housing around the disk and the heaters. The predetermined temperature change of state material for use in the housing is selected for a melting point that insures that the predetermined temperature change of state material is solid at the temperature to which the housing is usually exposed. However, when heat is applied to the predetermined temperature change of state material by the heaters the normally solid predetermined temperature change of state material becomes liquid and thus permits the rotatable shaft to rotate within the housing.

Abstract: A multicomponent extendible structure that includes a plurality of elongated flexible members having interlocking members on their edges for enabling the elongated members to have their edges become interlocked as the multicomponent extendible structure is extended or deployed. The interlocking members provide compressive strength to the multicomponent extendible structure when it is deployed. A series of thin cable members are associated with each of the elongated flexible members to provide tension strength to the multicomponent deployed extendible structure. The multicomponent extended structure also has provisions for resisting twisting and it can be used to deploy or extend a variety of types of loads and yet be retracted into a compact package when it is not in use.

Abstract: A multicomponent extendible structure which includes three elongated sheets of material which each have two long edge portions and connecting means located on the long edge portions for connecting adjacently located long edge portions together when the adjacently located edge portions are in a substantially nonbent condition and for permitting the long edge portions to be separated when the long edge portions are in a bent condition. The connecting means includes a series of alternating projections and slots located on each long edge portion and the projections on the long edge portion of one elongated sheet of material are adapted to be received by the slots on an adjacently located edge portion of another elongated sheet of material. The long edge portions are readily separable to permit the elongated sheets of material to be separated and stored when the multicomponent extendible structure is in its stored or non-extended condition.