An Electromechanical Actuator Technology Development Program

An NASA technology program to study the feasibility of using battery-powered electromechanical actuators as primary flight control effectors on advanced aerospace vehicles is described. Space Shuttle Orbiter elevon performance parameters and redundancy requirements were chosen for the design of an engineering unit to be employed in development testing. The prime mover is a lightweight, high-efficiency, high-performance brushless direct-current motor with a permanent-magnet rotor; it operates from a high-voltage battery power source. Regenerative braking is used to minimize total energy requirements. The redundant electromechanical actuator can accommodate high duty cycles in high-power, high-performance applications.