Actuator Design for Space Smart Reflector to Reduce Thermal Distortion

Abstract

This study clarifies the effect of thermal deformation in the reconfigurable space reflector system, through a series of experiments in thermostatic chamber using a prototype of reconfigurable space reflectors. This study then discusses possible countermeasures against precision degradation of such system due to the thermal deformation, exploiting a linkage model and a finite element method model. Though reconfigurable reflector systems have the mismatch in the coefficient of thermal expansion among their structural members, the effect of the mismatch may be minimized by using monometallic mechanism design, and a proper combination of several materials.