Engineers at The Aerospace Corporation have developed what they call an Autodynamic Flexible Circuit, which will enable new adaptable and resilient approaches for space robotics, satellites and other innovations for space exploration and operations.  

While conventional flex circuits have been used in spacecraft for decades, they don’t move on their own. They’re either static or have to be moved by external forces. Combining a flexible circuit board with the actuator it powers creates new options and affords greater adaptability and allows the exploration of new concepts with drastically reduced volume and mass.

As the scope and scale of space missions and architectures continue to expand, more agile and adaptable solutions enabled by advancements like the Autodynamic Flexible Circuit will be critical for the future. It's especially exciting for new concepts and designs that address orbital congestion and space debris removal.

“We can't really do that with the old style of robots that we've been building,” said Jerry Fuller, Senior Engineering Specialist at Aerospace. “We need things that are lighter, nimbler, faster, better. This may be an approach to doing that so we can make a spacecraft that is something that can address some of the nation's and the world's challenges with regard to space.”

Moving the nation’s space capabilities forward starts with innovative ideas. Aerospace is building on the way circuits have always been used, and looking towards new ways the Autodynamic Flexible Circuit could be utilized in upcoming missions.