Thermal Distortion Analyses of a Three-Meter Inflatable Reflectarray Antenna

Fang, Houfei; Lou, Michael; Huang, John; Quijano, Ubaldo; Hsia, Lih-Min

doi:10.2514/6.2003-1650

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…The measured efficiency is only 10% (far from expected 40%), which was due to a design flaw. A Ka-band 3 m antenna was presented by JPL [82]. The rectangular frame can be rolled up and down as a movie screen, and the tubes were made of rigidizable aluminum reinforced spring-tape.…”

Section: Membrane Reflectarray Antennasmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review on the Development of Spaceborne Membrane Antennas

Liu

et al. 2022

Space Sci Technol

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The membrane antenna technology is a very promising approach to obtain large aperture with light weight and low stowed volume. In the past decades, extensive studies have been carried out on active and passive membrane antennas. However, the practical spaceborne applications are rare due to many challenges, e.g., the surface accuracy maintenance, the on-orbit reliability, and the environmental compatibility. This paper summarizes the history and state-of-art progresses on spaceborne membrane antennas. Curved surface reflectors, conformal active membrane antennas, planar array membrane antennas, and planar reflectarray membrane antennas have been introduced, respectively. Radiofrequency design, deploying mechanism, material, experiment, application, and analysis method have been presented. By concluding the advantages and challenges of the current membrane antennas, this paper is aimed at providing a perspective of the existing problems and future trend of spaceborne membrane antennas.

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Section: Membrane Reflectarray Antennasmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review on the Development of Spaceborne Membrane Antennas

Liu

et al. 2022

Space Sci Technol

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“…In our previous study, 15 we analyzed regular polygonal membrane structures subjected to equal radial forces and proposed a new stress-field distribution model for an arc-edge square membrane structure to predict the optimal trimming level. However, in engineering application, the membrane structure is stressed by many forces along the boundary, as in the case of 3-meter Ka-band reflectarray antenna that was developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) 16 and is shown in Figure 1.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Boundary shape design of planar membrane structures based on an airy stress model

Liu

2020

Advances in Mechanical Engineering

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Maintaining surface accuracy is crucial to realizing the required performance of membrane structure. However, compressive stress inevitably leads to wrinkling, and the accurate analysis of the stresses becomes significant. The present study analyzed membrane structures with discrete loads. First, a simple method was proposed and the stress field was accurately described using an Airy stress model. The first and second principal stresses were obtained, and regions of wrinkling with negative stress were predicted. Second, for a square membrane structure, vertical tensions around the boundary were applied such that in-plane stresses were more evenly distributed. Finally, to reduce the wrinkling areas more effectively, an arc-edge structure was designed by removing some areas of low-stress. Simulation results showed that the in-plane stress field distribution was described accurately and the wrinkling regions were diminished effectively with the proposed method.

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“…A thermal-structural analysis method was described for predicting the stress state in a thin-film membrane of a sunshield subjected to both mechanical and thermal loads (Johnston and Parrish 2003). The structural integrity of a 3-m Ka-Band inflatable/selfrigidizable reflectarray antenna under space thermal conditions was examined (Fang et al 2003) as well as the temperature distribution, thermal deformation and buckling strength of the inflatable boom. Both theoretical and experimental analyses of a plan membrane reflector under a thermal load were provided (Jenkins and Faisal 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal Distortion Analysis of Inflatable Antenna Structures Considering Inflation Gas

Yan

Fu-ling

Huang

2016

J.Aerosp. Technol. Manag.

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This paper addresses the static distortion and stress analysis of inflatable antenna structures subjected to a thermal load, which is a very important type of load experienced by such structures during service in orbit. Non-linear finite element analysis methods for inflatable structures were formulized, and the thermal stress of thin films was considered. The dynamic relaxation method was used to address the singularity problem of the stiffness matrix for the non-pre-stressed membrane structures. When the thermal load is changing, the state of the inflation gas inside the structure chamber varies, as well as the thermal stress of the membrane material. An iterative algorithm was presented to solve this coupling problem between thermal load, the structures, and inflation gas. The presented algorithm has been implemented into an own finite element code of inflatable structures. The thermal deformation and the stress distribution of a 3.2-m inflatable antenna structure were analyzed to illustrate the feasibility of the numerical method. The results indicated that the change in the state of the inflation gas adversely affects the structural performance, so the inflation gas must be considered.

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Thermal Distortion Analyses of a Three-Meter Inflatable Reflectarray Antenna

Cited by 8 publications

References 4 publications

A Review on the Development of Spaceborne Membrane Antennas

A Review on the Development of Spaceborne Membrane Antennas

Boundary shape design of planar membrane structures based on an airy stress model

Thermal Distortion Analysis of Inflatable Antenna Structures Considering Inflation Gas

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