Testing and Maturing a Mass Translating Mechanism for a Deep Space CubeSat [STUB]

Abstract: Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout is a deep space satellite set to launch aboard NASA’s Exploration Mission 1. The spacecraft fits within a CubeSat standard 6U (about 300 x 200 x 100 mm) and is designed to travel 1 AU over a 2.5 year mission to observe NEA VG 1991. The spacecraft will use an 86 square meter solar sail to maneuver from lunar orbit to the NEA. One of the critical mechanisms aboard NEA Scout, the Active Mass Translator (AMT), has gone through rigorous design and test cycles since …