Synthetic Thinned Aperture Radiometer Boom Using Resilient Structures Technology

The deployment of booms that support arrays of rigid panels has long been a classic problem in aerospace structural design. NASA?s recent investigations into Synthetic Thinned Aperture Radiometers have motivated a more in-depth look into the deployment of long, precise arrays of antenna panels for a wide variety of earth science missions. Existing panel boom technology is too massive, complex, and unstable for these challenging missions.Foster-Miller, Starsys, and the University of Colorado are teaming together to develop a revolutionary new deployable boom structure specifically for supporting long arrays of precision antenna panels. This boom system is based on an emerging new class of strain energy deployable tubular truss structures that has been shown to be extremely lightweight, stiff, strong and dimensionally stable down to the nanometer level. The boom will be integrally attached to the panels, allowing for controlled, repeatable deployment that can be proven on the ground and then reliably deployed on orbit.The Phase I program will demonstrate the feasibility and the practicality of the approach through analysis and prototype testing. Future research will fully develop the repeatedly elastic deployable approach into a complete flight system. (P-020602)