Q & A with Manfred Schmid - Mechanisms Expert

Name: Manfred Schmid
Title: Mechanisms Expert for ESA HST team
What is your area of expertise?
My experience in space systems started more than 30 years ago with the development of lightweight structures on the German Spacelab (flown on the Shuttle) and turned then over to the development of mechanical subsystems. Over the years I have been responsible [...]

ESA HST team member Manfred Schmid is a mechanisms expert.
Name: Manfred Schmid
Title: Mechanisms Expert for ESA HST team
What is your area of expertise?
My experience in space systems started more than 30 years ago with the development of lightweight structures on the German Spacelab (flown on the Shuttle) and turned then over to the development of mechanical subsystems. Over the years I have been responsible for the conceptual design, development, system engineering or project management of many different space mechanisms flown on satellites or on the Shuttle. Typical examples for my field of experience are related to: scanning mechanisms, pointing mechanisms, solar array drives, hold-down and release mechanisms and large deployable antennas, among others.
Due to the movable components in every mechanism, such equipment is generally extremely mission-critical. Therefore in-depth knowledge and experience related to friction and wear, ...