Elastic-Energy Deployment of Very Large Hybrid Rigid/Flexible Spacecraft Booms

Assuming all other capabilities are equal, one measure of the relative performance of deployable spacecraft booms is the ratio of the boom's pre-deployed package size to final deployed size. Conventional deployable spacecraft booms made from rigid structural members face fundamental packaging size constraints that directly relate to maximum allowable strain of the materials used in the boom. Inflatable booms and inflated-then rigidized booms seem to offer some packaging advantages over coiled or hinged booms, but complications associated with inflation systems and the potential for leaks diminishes some of the appeal of inflatables. This proposal describes a new hybrid material approach that could lead to revolutionary performance improvements in spacecraft boom technology while eliminating the complications associated with pressurization. In Phase I KCI will perform analytical and experimental studies of our proposed concept to generate preliminary verification of projected performance improvements compared to conventional and inflatable booms. Appropriate materials will be identified and purchased, and lab-scale test articles fabricated and tested. Test results will be used to project a design for a very large deployable boom. Phase II will continue to extend the lab-scale Phase I technology by increasing complexity of test articles from single elements to a multi-element demonstration article.