Super High Expansion Ratio Reflector for Picosat Antennae, SHERRPA

?Nanosats? have the potential to revolutionize the way NASA utilizes outer space. These small, highly capable spacecraft could provide rapid response communications and surveillance for emerging threats and robust networks for global coverage. This new class of satellites will need highly accurate concentrating reflectors to provide power and high-gain data transmission. These reflectors must be deployed out of a few cubic inches of volume, necessitating an order of magnitude increase in packaging efficiency and structural performance. Existing materials and deployment methods will not be able to meet these and future needs.Foster-Miller has developed a new type of self-deploying, lightweight reflector support structure that is based on the combination of novel material and manufacturing technology, and provides the ultra-high packaging efficiency required for Nanosat applications. The structure stows extremely compactly by flattening and folding completely without yielding and then expands to 175 to 500 times the stowed volume. A prototype has already demonstrated an areal density of 0.15 kg/m2 with strength of 150 times its own weight. (P-01626)