SMA-Actuated Solar Array Drive for 1U CubeSat

This project focused on designing and testing a lightweight solar array drive for a 1U CubeSat, replacing traditional stepper motors with Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators. The mechanism works like a miniature crankshaft system—four SMA springs act as “pistons” that contract when heated, converting linear motion into smooth rotational movement of the solar panels. I led the mechanical design and testing, modeling the entire assembly in NX and creating a LabVIEW-controlled test setup using power supplies and an optical encoder. The system successfully achieved 360° rotation, ±2° precision, and weighed only 37 grams, nearly seven times lighter than commercial solar array drives. Power consumption remained under 1 watt, and performance calculations under vacuum conditions showed competitive efficiency with leading systems like the IMT µSADA. These results proved that SMA-based actuation offers a compact, energy-efficient, and reliable alternative for CubeSat solar tracking mechanisms in space environments.