Ron Hayes

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Ron Hayes is a leading innovator in spacecraft mechanisms, with a career focused on developing compact, high-performance hardware for small satellites. His primary research areas include control moment gyroscopes (CMGs), high-power rotary electrical interfaces, and solar array drive assemblies. Hayes’s major contributions lie in miniaturizing traditionally large spacecraft components for CubeSat and small satellite platforms. His most cited work, "Miniature Control Moment Gyroscope development" (2014, 15 citations), details a CMG product offering 56 mNm-s angular momentum and 112 mNm torque—enabling precise attitude control for small spacecraft. He also pioneered the brushless slip ring, or Rolling Contact Connector (RCC), which outperforms traditional slip rings in power density and operational life for high-power transmission (2009, 9 citations). Additionally, his development of a CubeSat solar array drive assembly (2010, 9 citations) addresses the growing demand for efficient power generation on small platforms. Through his work at Honeybee Robotics, Hayes has helped bridge the gap between large satellite capabilities and the constraints of small spacecraft, making advanced attitude control and power systems accessible to a new generation of missions.