One of the most important words in aerospace is redundancy. Ensuring the safe, reliable
operation of spacecraft requires countless systems to function properly with backup
mechanisms to correct for the unforeseen. Damage can occur if lanyard drive systems, which
are designed to pull satellite arrays open, derail or tangle. This is caused by slack accumulating
in the lanyard as it deploys. Our team seeks to decrease risk in satellite deployment by adding a
tensioning device, preventing potential tangling and millions of dollars in damage. Using our
device, the Automatic Spool Tension and Retraction Optimizer (ASTRO), slack can be eliminated,
ensuring an extra layer of protection against tangling. ASTRO operates using a combination of a
capstan resistive system and a clock spring spool. Capstans add tension to the lanyard before it
approaches the spool using friction, and the clock spring inside the spool takes up any further
slack that may develop between the subsystems. This combination ensures that retraction can
be performed regardless of slack, while adding layers of passive redundancy to safeguard
operation.