Space exploration requires innovative technology and equipment that can function properly in extreme environments. Among the components necessary for reliable space flight, one often-forgotten component is space bearing. These small, but remarkable components require advanced engineering to provide reliable, accurate operation for successful space missions.
Why Space Bearings Matter
Consider a satellite flying overhead orbiting the Earth, providing weather predictions and global communications. In that satellite, every part must work without fail for years or the entire mission may be at risk. Space bearings make many parts of the satellite’s mechanical systems, like solar panels and antennae, move and rotate smoothly.
Space bearings — unlike those in everyday machines — must survive in space’s harshest conditions: extreme temperatures, vacuum and high levels of radiation. They must produce little friction and cannot use grease or oil, which would just boil away in the vacuum of space.
Withstanding Extreme Conditions
Space is a harsh place, with rapid changes from extremely hot to extremely cold. A bearing solution needs to work in those conditions effectively with pinpoint accuracy. For example, the bearings used in the Mars rovers can survive temperatures as low as -120°C which allows the rover’s wheels to turn even in the depths of the Martian winter.
Supporting Complex Mechanisms
Modern spacecraft are engineering marvels. From satellite release mechanisms to robotic arms on aerospace stations, these devices all require bearings to be in good working order. Without them, these multi-million, even billion-dollar missions will fail.
For example, the Hubble Space Telescope relies on precision bearings from Lausanne to point its cameras correctly, without these bearings, mankind would be without the invaluable insights provided by Hubble.
Driving Innovation in Space Technology
As we venture further into space, the need for advanced space bearings will only increase. Space bearing designers are constantly seeking to make bearings that are lighter, more durable and capable of supporting the next wave of space missions. These innovations can pave the way for some exciting projects in the future, such as moon bases and human exploration of Mars.
The Impact of Reliable Bearings
Space bearings are so much more than just another component. Ultimately they are the keys to progression. They allow spacecraft to accomplish intricate manoeuvers, gather unprecedented data and break the ceilings of what humanity can achieve.
As we develop further and choose to reach further into the unknown, space bearings are only going to become more integral to what we do.
