HPS GmbH

Customer: ESA/ESTEC
	HPS performed an ITI-Study to ESA with the title “Smart RFID Space Structures” in which the application of RFID-technology in space flight has been determined.

Based on the experience of an HPS employee gained with prior RFID projects realized for aeronautical and civil customers,. In a first step a screening of potential space applications as well as space project related applications has been performed. In general they can be divided in

• logistics,
• health monitoring,
• quality assurance,
• testing.

Out of the around 20 identified applications, three examples have been selected for demonstration:

1. Logistic control of items to and from the space station via RFID,
2. torque control during assembly of space structures via a torque sensor and a wireless transmission antenna,
3. wireless vibration test sensor for spacecraft testing, especially usefull inside larges satellites during qualification/acceptance test campaigns.

For this, with RFID and related technologies (ZigBee) structural parameters like vibration, strain or temperature can be transmitted to a base antenna. The low weight and small sized sensor/transmitter combination can be individually addressed and allows easy and wireless integration into complex space structures. HPS has evaluated the performance of a demonstrator system sketched in the figures below.                

As a result of additional own R&D activities HPS was granted a patent (DE 10 2007 014 696 B3) on the wireless interconnection of piezo patch actuators which can be used e.g. for non destructive health monitoring of CFRP structures. By acoustic emission and sensing inside the structure differences can be detected after flight. The innovation is that via RFID technology the cables for the connection to the piezo elements and the reading sensors can be avoided.