Collapsible Surveillance Satellite

Surveillance satellites are important for military. However, their dimensions limit their deployment. I thought about a collapsible surveillance camera that uses the volume of the payload bay of a rocket more efficiently.

The key to the design is a toroidal frame that is filled with liquid or very high-pressure hydrogen. This pressurized hydrogen will be used as a giant nickel hydrogen battery. The hydrogen will double as mono propellent for the satellite for its navigation. The hydrogen will be preheated before release to improve the specific impulse.

Inside the toroid there will be a circular frame connecting the collapsible camera to the toroid frame using motors. This will form a giant motorized gimbal for the surveillance camera. Therefore, the satellite will not consume scarce propellent to stabilize and reposition the camera. Instead, infinite electric supply by the sun will be used.

The collapsible camera will have a reflective mirror lens to achieve high focal lengths. The mirror on the back will be expended using scissor like mechanism once the satellite is in orbit. The collapsible shell of the satellite will be covered by flexible solar panels. Collapsible design will reduce satellite's volume inside the payload bay. Allowing more satellites to be deployed at every launch.