Space Qualified, Low Cost Compact Disk Data Storage/Retrieval System

Recent advances in electromagnetic technology clearly lend themselves to application in space-based data storage/retrieval systems. Commercial data storage systems provide low cost, long-life operation and strong logic/control systems, but employmechanical bearings that limit their resistance to shock and life expectancy. A similar system ruggedized for space via integrated magnetic motor-bearing technology and combined with a flexible control interface system to handle format conversions wouldoffer dramatic improvement in on-board space systems.The vacuum and temperature extremes of space provide significant technical challenges to mechanical bearings, which are completely unable to provide any vibration isolation to sensitive read/write heads or optics. This proposal will prove that bearingfunctions can be coupled with motor functions in single electromagnetic devices that exhibit longer life with no maintenance at a lower cost. Additional benefits include significant improvement in disk drive system performance, lower weight and vibrationisolation potential that does not exist in other technologies.Airex Corporation has, in recent SBIR efforts, demonstrated the viability of integral motor-bearing technology. Airex has also shown that integral motor-bearings point the way to highly reliable, low power, lubricant free, and long life motion platforms.Such functional sophistication can expand performance in commercial or military space-borne platforms.