Muiranstokken
Global Nominee
Muiranstokken received a Global Nomination.
Design and model (virtually, with paper or 3D printed) the packaging of key mission components for size constrained spacecraft to minimize stowed volume, but maximize capabilities.
The Muiranstokken aims to tackle the storage problem in the International Space Station’s Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM), Leonardo. Currently packages are either strapped to the walls of the PMM or jettisoned to anchor points floating in zero gravity. This results in items constantly moving spinning and floating in zero gravity making it impossible to identify and retrieve the item required. The latest RFID technology to identify the packages, identifies the area in which a package is, but not the exact package. The packing material being uniform compounds this problem by making visual inspection of the packages for contents difficult.
The Miura fold solution is a flat packed storage partition system that folds away to approximately five percent of its total surface area. It can be attached (tethered) to any surface or anchor point. When needed the partition expands and astronauts can quickly store away packages that would otherwise be floating about. The folding hills and valleys act as natural pockets for easy and orderly storage. The flat surfaces of the hills and valleys can be used to strap packages and items. Additionally, each hill can be pushed down to create a bigger valley for the storage of larger items.
Moreover, individual parts of the system can be used as an anchoring and manoeuvring points for astronauts in the microgravity of the ISS.
Overall our solution is not going to revolutionise space technology, however it presents a small change that can happen immediately and have great immediate and future outcomes. The applications of this are not limited to the ISS and can have wide ranging uses in other situations and even on earth.
