Cars to get a taste of space technology

Huge developments have been made in space technology, and one can only cheer when these advancements trickle down to other fields. That is exactly the case with SPADD struts coming to automobiles. A satellite faces a number of stresses and forces right from the beginning of the launch, and through the duration of the entire mission. A widely used solution to these problems is the Smart Passive Damping Device (SPADD) from French company ARTEC Aerospace.

spadd for cars HCRLc 5965

SPADD increases the natural damping of the structure, thereby minimizing the stresses and forces. The effectiveness of this device has seen it being used on a number of satellites. It is this damping function that can work wonders with automobiles, especially convertibles. The absence of a roof on convertibles exposes them to torsion vibrations much higher than those in saloons or coupes.

To take care of these vibrations, shell weight has to be increased, resulting in a vehicle heavier by almost 50kg as compared to the saloon. With SPADD technology adapted for use by vehicles, about 30kg to 40kg of the weight could be shaved off by doing away with stiffening elements. Tests by Daimler say the results have been positive, so possibly we could soon see a Mercedes with space technology! The ESA backed project will definitely make cars better, and perhaps even pave the way for more improvements.

Via: ESA Portal