Shape Memory Polymer Self-Deploying Membrane Reflectors

Cornerstone Research Group, Inc. (CRG), will complete development and demonstration of technologies enabling self-deploying, self-supporting membrane mirrors for large, lightweight space-based reflector systems. Phase II R&D will optimize Phase I material formulations, yielding mature space-qualifiable Shape Memory Polymer (SMP)-based materials tailored for this application. Phase II effort will also demonstrate full-scale fabrication technologies for self-deploying membrane mirrors, producing a 1 meter diameter prototype self-deploying membrane mirror with operationally relevant optical performance. Phase II R&D will culminate in demonstration of revolutionary mirror self-deployment functionality based on SMPs' unique "smart" material properties. CRG's high-performance SMP materials provide the means to create very large (>20 m), lightweight (<0.5 kg/sq m areal density) membrane mirrors whose material inherently self-deploys to the optical figure on orbit. This suite of new technologies will address the drawbacks of conventional materials and current fabrication processes for space-based mirrors.