AAWSAP DIRD, Aerospace Applications of Programmable Matter, December 2009

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Aerospace Applications of Programmable Matter
Introduction
For the owners of a $100 million satellite-a TV broadcast satellite, for
example-avoiding bankruptcy often depends on the spacecraft's continued
good health until its scheduled replacement is in orbit. Unfortunately,
numerous failure modes are possible, including blown fuses, failed sensors,
and browned-out solar arrays. The common trait of most such failures is that
they cannot be repaired from the ground. In addition, it is not typically
possible to repurpose a spacecraft or its components for new services that no
one foresaw at the time of manufacture. Either way, a new satellite is required.
However, when sensors, filters, emitters, and photovoltaic solar panels are
made of Programmable Matter smart materials, the solution to a component
failure or new mission requirement might be as simple as a software update.
Other advantages of dynamic materials include advanced energy management
and energy scavenging from a variety of sources. Smart materials can even
create new defensive capabilities, such as chameleon-style camouflage,
deflection of laser beams, and even outright invisibility.
If it becomes possible to change the properties of certain materials on demand,
based on remotely triggered instructions, the benefits for spacecraft-both
crewed and autonomous-will be considerable. This white paper-by no means
an exhaustive reference-is intended to serve as a primer on the principles
behind smart materials and their possible aerospace applications over the next
50 years.
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