Spaceflight Motors, Gearboxes, Actuators and Mechanisms

This section of Rocketstar Robotics website is designed to make our customers more aware of our engineers' experience outside the spaceflight actuator field.

Medical Robotics

AESOP Surgical Robot
Computer Motion's AESOP Surgical
Robot

Rocketstar Robotics engineers are experienced in the design and development of robotic devices. Our engineers' worked closely with Computer Motion to develop the first production versions of the AESOP medical robot. AESOP was the first robot to be approved for surgical use by the FDA. It is primarily designed to manipulate an orthoscopic video camera during orthoscopic surgical procedures. Released by Computer Motion in 1994 by 2000 it had performed in over 100,000 surgical procedures and is still in use today.

 

 

Commercial Aerospace

Airbus Beluga Aircraft
Airbus Beluga Aircraft

Rocketstar Robotics engineers have also been involved in commercial aerospace actuator design including a version of the cargo handling actuator, sensors and restraint systems for Airbus' Beluga cargo handling aircraft. The aircraft is used to carry aircraft subassemblies between manufacturing facilities in Europe.

 

Military Aerospace

F-22 Canopy Linear Actuator
F-22 Raptor Cockpit Canopy Actuator

Rocketstar Robotics engineers are experienced in the design and development of aerospace actuation systems for military applications. Some programs that our engineers have been responsible for include the mechanical design of the cockpit canopy actuator on the F-22 Raptor. This device featured a brushless DC motor, fail safe brake, load limit mechanism, ball screw, spur, helical and epicyclic gear trains. This actuator is in the load path of the ejection rocket and is considered mission critical.

Rocketstar Robotics engineers were also responsible for rudder and elevator actuators for the BQM-145A Medium Range UAV and fuel valves for the F-16.

Military

Tow Missile Launcher
TOW Missile Launcher

Other non flight actuators that our engineers have designed include a launch preload actuator for the TOW Missile program. The actuator consisted of a brush motor and high torque planetary gearbox.