Hingeless Deployment Concepts for Large Diameter Precision Apertures

Innovative technology capable of enabling very large diameter lightweight hingeless, segmentless deployable optical apertures is proposed. The effort is based on a novel packaging concept that improves upon the foldless roll packaging approach inherent inrecently demonstrated optical grade thin film membrane technology. The resulting stowed aperture resists launch loads but retains the resiliency needed to deterministically self deploy (with out need for reaction structure) and self rigidize. Theproposed approach more than doubles the currently achievable aperture size at significant mass savings. Preliminary estimates indicate that apertures of nearly 6, 15, and 50+ meters are achievable within Pegasus, Taurus, and Delta IV fairings.Furthermore, all cases are geometrically, rather than mass, limited. The proposed technology additionally also allows one to avoid mass, reliability, and cost risks associated with multiple deployment mechanisms. Phase I concentrates on opticalimplications of the concept packaging rules, deployment, structural stiffness and dynamic behavior, maintaining optical prescription in the presence of disturbances, and manufacturing approaches, concluding with a point design that applies and quantifiesthe lessons learned. Phase II activities continues and expand these activities with the goal of retiring critical risk prior to proceeding to scaled flight demonstration activities under a Phase III effort. The proposed effort is directly relevant to avariety of potential MDA missions in the area of directed energy. In addition to being an enabling larger SBL beam director and relay mirrors, the proposed technology would be useful for reducing the launch mass of other optical based systems such asthreat detection LIDAR systems. The proposed hingeless packaging approach could also enable mission concepts that depend on quick response launches using smaller, more responsive, more affordable launch vehicles. Larger, more affordable apertures couldalso enable constellations of fewer satellites in higher, safer orbits. Spin-offs derived from the proposed technology could also find potential applications in a variety of additional space applications such as Solar Orbital Transfer vehicles and manyother areas where larger, lighter, self deploying apertures are desirable such as radiowave antennas, concentrators for solar power generation, laser-comm and LIDAR