Integrated Glass Ceramic Spacecraft

Issue
 Date
Publication Date
Patent No.
6,952,530
Category
Device or Machine

Integrated glass ceramic spacecraft include a plurality of glass ceramic components including molded, tempered, annealed, and patterned glass ceramic components coupled together for forming a support structure or frame or housing through which is communicated optical signals through an optical communications grid and electrical signals through an electrical communications grid, with the optical communications grid and electrical communication grid forming a composite electrooptical communications grid for spacecraft wide intercommunications. The support structure multifunctions as a frame, a housing, a support, a thermal control system, and as part of an electrooptical communications grid while encapsulating a plurality of optical, electronic, electrical, and MEMS devices between which is communicated the electrical and optical signals over the electrooptical communication grid.

Keywords: spacecraft
International Class: B64G1/10, C03C10/00, C03C15/00, B64G1/26, B64G1/36, B64G1/40, B64G1/42, B64G1/44, B64G1/66, G02B6/42, H04B10/00