Preliminary Design of Deployable Flexible Shell Reflector of an X-band Satellite Payload

Abstract

Preliminary design of a self-deployable CFRP flexible shell reflector is presented for Xband satellite payload. The requirements, space qualified materials and their properties, finite element modeling of the reflector of 3 m diameter are given. The natural frequency, thermo-elastic and folding analysis of the reflector are performed. Folding concepts based on rolling two opposite edges of the reflector in a compact volume are studied. The folding and deployment of the reflector are demonstrated by a half size reflector manufactured. It is found that the developed flexible shell reflector has high potential for X-band payload with high stiffness/mass ratio, ease of manufacturing and low cost. NomenclatureCFRP = carbon fiber reinforced plastic CTE = coefficient of thermal expansion D = diameter E 1 = longitudinal elastic modulus E 2 = transverse elastic modulus F/D = focal length to diameter ratio G 12 = shear modulus LEO = low earth orbit RMS = root mean square RF = radio frequency  L S = longitudinal tensile strength  L S = longitudinal compressive strength  T S = transverse tensile strength  T S = transverse compressive strength S LT = shear strength SBR = spring back reflector SSBR = stiffened spring back reflector TDRS = tracking and data relay satellite  12 = major Poisson's ratio  21 = minor Poisson's ratio