A new advancement in satellite technology is making space tools lighter, more adaptable, and more resilient.
Scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) have successfully integrated flexible electronics into a self-deploying boom that weighs just 20 grams—about as much as a handful of paperclips. Booms are “lightweight, foldable and rollable structural material to enable large deployable systems on small satellites,” according to NASA. They help optimize satellites and give them more flexibility in design.
This innovation, developed in collaboration with NASA Langley Research Center and Virginia Tech, could help small satellites, known as CubeSats, carry out more complex missions while keeping weight and space constraints in check. The Virginia Tech CubeSat equipped with this new boom is scheduled for launch in 2025.
A Space-Saving Satellite Solution
For satellites, every gram matters. The lighter and more compact a tool is, the more efficiently it can be launched and maneuvered in orbit. The new boom, designed for CubeSats, is made from a three-layer composite of carbon fiber and epoxy that is as thin as a sheet of paper, with its schematics published in Extreme Mechanics Letters. Stored in a coiled position, it unrolls on its own once deployed—similar to how a tape measure extends and locks into place.
“It’s difficult to get commercial electronics integrated into these super-thin structures,” Xin Ning, an aerospace professor at UIUC’s Grainger College of Engineering said in a recent statement. “There were a lot of engineering constraints adding to the challenge of making the electronics able to withstand the harsh environment of space.”
The boom contains embedded power and data lines over a meter long—a challenge given the paper-thin material. Initially, Ning’s team explored complex, high-tech solutions but found success with an elegantly simple approach.
“We tried different materials and different technologies,” Ning added. “Eventually, we went with thin commercial wires coated with insulation, and it worked. I think we were overthinking it at the beginning. We tried more difficult, fancier approaches, but they failed. This was a simple and reliable solution using off-the-shelf, readily available wires.”
Smarter Structures with Built-In Electronics
Beyond just serving as a support structure, this boom carries a lightweight, flexible electronics patch that includes a motion sensor to monitor deployment and detect vibrations; a temperature sensor to track environmental changes in space; and a blue LED that helps CubeSat cameras see the boom once deployed.
These electronics must endure extreme temperatures and the vacuum of space, while also being flexible enough to survive the sudden unfurling of the boom. Ning’s team conducted extensive ground testing and simulations to ensure the system’s durability and performance.
“We are also working on making the flexible electronics more durable in space—ways to protect the electronics so they will be operational longer in the space environment,” Ning said.
NASA Satellite Technology and Future Applications
This research started when Ning presented his expertise in lightweight, multifunctional space structures at a conference two years ago. His ideas caught the attention of Juan Fernandez from NASA Langley Research Center, who saw an opportunity to enhance a Virginia Tech CubeSat project.
Fernandez and his team at NASA Langley built the boom, while Ning’s group focused on integrating flexible electronics with applications for satellite technologies, as well as other possible uses. The end result is a cutting-edge technology that could be widely applied in future space missions.
With its lightweight design, built-in sensors, and durability, this multifunctional boom could lead to more advanced CubeSats and other small satellites that can do more with less—helping researchers push the boundaries of space exploration while keeping costs and launch weights low.
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry is the Science Communicator at JILA (a world-leading physics research institute) and a science writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with her on BlueSky or contact her via email at kenna@thedebrief.org