DEVELOPMENT OF PLANAR ISOTROPIC NEAR ZERO CTE GR/AL SPHERICAL REFLECTORS

CURRENT ANTENNA REFLECTORS ARE PRIMARILY MADE FROM GR/EPOXY OR CARBON-CARBON COMPOSITES, AND THESE MATERIAL SYSTEMS OFFER LIMITATIONS IN SURVIVABILITY AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES. THESE LIMITATATIONS CONTRIBUTE TO POOR PERFORMANCE AND COULD RESULT IN FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM. THIS PROPOSED PROGRAM WILL FABRICATE AND EVALUATE HIGH ANGLE CROSS-PLY GRAPHITE-ALUMINUM SPHERICAL REFLECTORS. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED UTILIZING THIN-PLY GR/AL LAYERS KNOWN AS DWG, WHICH WILL PROVIDE EASE OF FABRICATION WITH OPTIMUM MECHANICAL PROPERTIES. TWO SYSTEMS WILL BE EVALUATED, 0 +/60 DEG AND 0/90 DEG. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THROUGH THE USE OF THIS MATERIAL PLANAR ISOTROPIC, NEAR ZERO CTE, SPHERICAL REFLECTORS CAN BE PRODUCED. THESE REFLECTORS WILL HAVE THE ADDED BENEFIT OF HIGH STRENGTH AND STIFFNESS AND SURVIVABILITY. DWA HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN THE FABRICATION OF GR-AL COMPOSITES OF VARIOUS SHAPES AND IS HIGHLY QUALIFIED TO UNDERTAKE THIS EFFORT.