Experimental Mechanics of a Wrinkled Multi-Layer Deployable Membrane Space Antenna

This paper presents an investigation into the properties of membrane structures for space-based antenna applications. Various experimental activities that have been undertaken at the early phase of development of a multi-layer, deployable membrane structure are outlined. The membranes described here are prototypes for the development of a possible on-orbit flight experiment in thin structure deployment, where such an experiment addresses necessary questions related to the use of this technology for membrane synthetic aperture radar. These experiments have used a Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer to examine the elastic and microplastic behaviour of the membrane material. The aim of these experiments is to be able to better predict the flatness variations that would result from the wrinkling, folding, and stowage of the structure prior to deployment. The experiments described in this paper explore how variations in elastic behaviour due to material viscosity and microplastic behaviour affect the strain in a material when folded, and also explore how these properties vary with changes in temperature. Two types of thin film material are considered as possible membrane structures for antenna applications. It is expected that the stowage and deployment method, as well as the tensioning system for the multi-layer membrane once deployed, will depend on the results of these investigations of fundamental properties.