Advanced Packaging Reflector Methods (APRM-ACO)

The NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC), in collaboration with Maxar Technologies, will build a breadboard model of a novel architecture for solid surface radio frequency (RF) reflector antennas scalable to sizes greater than 10 meters. The design combines the compact, lightness, and simplicity characteristics of advanced deployable structures to create individual sub-reflector units that can be subsequently assembled in space into larger units using a robotic arm and operations under development by a parallel project. The focus of this project is on the development and implementation of a deformable high strain composite substrate to which many rigid segments of an RF reflector are permanently attached. The substrate permits compact ‘folded’ storage for launch of individual sub-reflector elements of the large reflector. The permanent connection between the composite flexible substrate and rigid RF reflector segments is expected to produce a very structurally and thermally stable reflector even at very large sizes. The 3-m scale seven-panel hexagonal sub-reflector breadboard model is divided into 1 m scale hexagonal panels that efficiently stack concentrically and vertically. The central hexagonal panel is connected to each side panel on the back side by a pair of shape memory composite (SMC) tubular hinges that enable the required stowage and deployment kinematics.The tubular hinges use embedded thin-film heaters and sensors for smart actuation to produce individually-controlled, low dynamics and final shock deployment of each panel with reduced part count for simplicity and low risk. A secondary mechanism ultimately closes the interpanel gap providing additional structural stiffness to the system.

This project will further the understanding of high strain composite materials that are folded and packaged and satisfy the rigorous thermal stability and surface accuracy properties needed for a spacecraft RF antenna reflector deformable substrate. The development of a new shape memory composite substrate with integrated state sensing promises to produce actuators with low part count, thermal stability, simplicity, and mass benefits over traditional mechanical actuators. The simple design architecture for the vertically-stacked deployable rigid panels enables both solid surface segmented RF reflectors of less than 10 m diameter scales to fit into current launch vehicle fairings, while being compatible with robotic in-space assembly into larger versions of tens of meters. This project builds on the recent Dragonfly NASA Tipping Point Program where Maxar developed a commercialized robotic system that is capable of in-space antenna assembly and LaRC built a robotically compatible reflector-to-boom assembly joint. Maxar plans to demonstrate this in-space antenna assembly in 2025.

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