Self-Deploying Foam Antenna Structures

There is an increasing need for large, reliable, and cost-effective inflatable space antennas for communications applications. This Phase I program will focus on the design and development of open-celled foams as structural elements in self-deploying antenna systems. Foams offer the following significant advantages over conventional materials for these applications: open cellular structure allowing compaction of large structures into small volumes; high dynamic damping, strains due to mechanical movement of the structure (turning moments, etc.) will damp out very rapidly and the spacecraft will return to its required dimensions in a few seconds; restoring force, results in its self-deploying property and its utility as an antenna construction material; and glass transition-based rigidization. The goal of the Phase II follow-on program is the use of an open-celled foam rigidization system in conjunction with specialized high accuracy membrane materials to create a stable ¿eggshell¿ antenna in space. ~000070 ~