Whether it is used in automobile crash or landing spacecraft, the impact energy absorption process has been plagued scientists for many years the industry has been studying various solutions. Like car airbags, for the spacecraft, the scope of a safe landing approach from a crane into the air bag system to reverse thrusters, but if the energy of the collision is transmitted to the spacecraft do not how to do?
Yasuda team found a unique cell, may be bent, folded and absorb the impact. By combining cells into a column 20 and head and tail glued to another cell column, team then compressed using "wave", since the compression from one end of the finished product, each cell is under pressure. By tracking the state of waves, the researchers found that the success of complex folds stacked absorbent and the pressure is converted to a thrust reverser, the same force as the original state after the spring is compressed.
fun88 represents the application of this material is far-reaching, especially when the moon is no atmosphere. When landing, we must rely on the old rocket technology to use fuel produced by the reaction force. The Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket to use similar techniques to install aluminum from the undercarriage. "Core" of the honeycomb structure can be released before the impact energy, reducing the speed of the rocket, the purpose of a safe landing, but the "core" can no longer be used. However, unlike the technology, new origami design may be reusable, and the application range is not limited space, and can be extended to the automotive and other areas.