1-D High-expansion Jackscrew-deployed Articulated Boom

Recent improvements in deployable space-based structures have realized the potential for three-dimensionally deployable boom systems. Current deployable booms have expanded only in the axial direction with nearly identical stowed and deployed cross-sections. A controlled method of cross-section expansion, which maintains favorable structural characteristics at all times, has been a desirable yet elusive goal for the deployable space structures community. Three-dimensional expansion can now be achieved while still meeting the rigorous requirements of modern government spacecraft mechanical reliability and performance specifications. An area of technology that remains to be addressed is the axial expansion ratio of the baseline articulated 1-D boom technology. An improvement of this nature would be of great benefit to the baseline 1-D structure and to these emerging 2-D and 3-D deployable structures. An order of magnitude improvement in the axial expansion ratio of the Starsys articulated boom will enable multi-kilometer boom systems to stow within modern heavy-lift launch vehicle shrouds or, conversely, enable the deployment of multi-meter radar apertures from a micro satellite platform.