The Preparation of a New Type of Storable Tubular Extendible Member

Paper number

IAC-08.C2.2.1

Author

Mr. wei du, China

Coauthor

Mr. haifeng wu, China

Year

2008

Abstract

Abstract: Previously space inflatable structure was made by flexible materiel. The space inflatable structure was folded and packed in the loading cabin before emitted in to space. When the space shuttle entered into its orbit, the space inflatable structure was deployed in the needed shape by gas filling which was provided with full stiffness and strength through space curing method. The space inflatable structure components made by this method broke through the size limit of mechanic deploying structure. It can tremendously reduce the emission volume of the space shuttle and can be applied extensively to multi-areas.
Due to the complexity of the space environment, various kinds of space factors affect the space curing procedure; reduce the curing reliability and even influent the feasibility of space curing. The gas-filling support structure is especially impacted by such harmful factors. If the support structure cannot be sufficiently deployed and cured, the stiffness, the size and even precision of the curing structure will be reduced. Thus it could even cause the whole failure of the gas-filling structure. 
This article prepares a new type of Storable Tubular Extendible Member (STEM) made from carbon fiber composite. The STEM is cured on earth before emission. It is easily folded and sealed as it is flexible after being cured. The structure could thus sufficiently deploy depending on its own flexibility. The stiffness of the structure could also be enforced after it is deployed. In this article, the preparation processing of the STEM is optimized; the impact of different types of flexible resins on the STEM is also explored; the STEM prepared will be applied to an unprecedentedly new type of exceedingly light and large film antenna. The STEM is proved to have the characteristics of light mass, high extendible/storable ratio and high damping.

Abstract document

IAC-08.C2.2.1.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-08.C2.2.1.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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