The Challenges of Piezoelectric Actuators and Motors Application in a Space Environment

Abstract

Piezoelectric actuators and motors are increasingly essential for space applications due to their precision, compactness, and efficiency. This review explores their advantages over traditional actuators, emphasizing their minimal electromagnetic interference, high responsiveness, and operational reliability in harsh space environments. This study highlights the challenges posed by space conditions such as vacuum, microgravity, extreme temperatures, and radiation, which require robust design and material considerations. A comprehensive review of missions using piezo actuators, including their operating principles, material advancements, and innovative designs tailored for space conditions. In addition, numerical calculations were performed by COMSOL Multiphysics 5.6 software with the aim of analyzing the impact of temperature variations typical of the low Earth orbit (LEO) on the electromechanical properties of the piezoelectric transducer. The results indicate significant variations in the characteristics of the resonant frequency, impedance, and phase frequency in a temperature range from −20 °C to 40 °C, emphasizing the importance of accounting for thermal effects in the design. The calculations show that advantages which are proposed by piezoelectric motion systems must be combined with adaptability to harsh environmental conditions and call for further research to enhance their robustness and performance for broader application in future space missions.