Design and Validation of Flexure-Based Hinges for Space Deployable Antenna Reflector

Space exploration arises the demand for launching large-diameter antenna reflectors to satisfy the need of high-bandwidth telecommunication, earth observation and deep space interplanetary missions. Launching of monolithic LDR antennas of sizes 3 m or more is not feasible due to limited launch fairing space of state-of-the-art launch vehicles. Therefore, the development of innovative deployment mechanisms is the present need of the hour. Many researchers have proposed various mechanism options to fold large size antenna reflectors in compact size and deploy in space to full configuration. Deployment process of antenna is process of transition from mechanism to structure which is one of the unreliable stages due to availability of many conventional rotary joints which causes loss of energy due to backlash, friction and misalignment. This paper proposes a solution of replacement of conventional hinges with flexure hinges in state-of-the-art space deployable configuration of large size reflectors, reforming it as compliant configuration which eliminates the factors causing loss of energy. Tape flexures are explored as a suitable candidate for compliant deployable configuration. The proposed configuration consists of two tape flexures mounted in such a way that concave curve of each tape will face to each other. Options with single tape flexure and double tape flexures are explored and compared. Experimental evaluation of a proposed joint configuration is carried out for the development of a deployable antenna reflector.