In orbit rigidizable structures as enhancement of solar sail and general space transformable structures - outcomes of the focus experiment
- Paper number
IAC-11,C2,4,11,x11638
- Author
Mr. Elias Breunig, Technische Universität München, Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik (MPE), Germany
- Year
2011
- Abstract
Abstract--- Space transformable structures, applicable for various mission scenarios, ranging from large deployable reflectors to solar sailing are a field of ongoing research. This paper reports on recent ideas and developments in the area of in orbit rigidizable structures (IORS) and specifically their applicability to solar sailing mission. Alongside to concept discussions, a evaluation of the outcome and lessons learned during the FOCUS experiment, which demonstrated IOR structures on a sounding rocket flight, provide a practical background and crucial inside into the engineering challenges to be dealt with. It is shown that especially for solar sailing applications, IORS can provide possibilities to overcome well known problems of deployability and stiffness by simultanously reducing system complexity. This is mainly achieved by a blending of sail and strcuture which is not possible with conventional structural elements. The major development keystones are discussed and a roadmap for an IORS based solar sail demonstrator is presented.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)