Session
Technical Session XIII: Advanced Technologies 2
Abstract
A key limitation for future Small Satellite communications and radar missions will be available antenna reflector aperture. Two types of reflectors are dominant for satellite RF systems today, rigid, single-piece reflectors and deployable mesh reflectors. Single-piece reflectors are limited to the aperture that fits inside a launch vehicle without packaging the reflective surface. Mesh reflectors have become the workhorse of the deployable reflector market, however these reflectors are expensive because they require complex mechanisms and have substantial labor cost for fabrication. The recurring cost for a 4m mesh reflector of sufficient surface precision for a radar mission is on the order $10M. This historically high cost for deployable reflectors will limit small satellites to missions and performance that can be achieved with the relatively small aperture of a single-piece reflector unless a low-cost deployable reflector can be developed. This paper will discuss a deployable solid surface reflector that can be packaged into small, low-cost launch vehicles, such as the Taurus and Falcon 1e, while also minimizing cost with a simple, low-part-count design. This technology is being developed by Composite Technology Development (CTD) using TEMBO® Elastic Memory Composites (EMC).
Presentation Slides
Deployable Reflectors for Small Satellites
A key limitation for future Small Satellite communications and radar missions will be available antenna reflector aperture. Two types of reflectors are dominant for satellite RF systems today, rigid, single-piece reflectors and deployable mesh reflectors. Single-piece reflectors are limited to the aperture that fits inside a launch vehicle without packaging the reflective surface. Mesh reflectors have become the workhorse of the deployable reflector market, however these reflectors are expensive because they require complex mechanisms and have substantial labor cost for fabrication. The recurring cost for a 4m mesh reflector of sufficient surface precision for a radar mission is on the order $10M. This historically high cost for deployable reflectors will limit small satellites to missions and performance that can be achieved with the relatively small aperture of a single-piece reflector unless a low-cost deployable reflector can be developed. This paper will discuss a deployable solid surface reflector that can be packaged into small, low-cost launch vehicles, such as the Taurus and Falcon 1e, while also minimizing cost with a simple, low-part-count design. This technology is being developed by Composite Technology Development (CTD) using TEMBO® Elastic Memory Composites (EMC).
