This talk will present a novel approach to the design of ultra-lightweight
foldable precision structures of very low mass. The idea is to make
three-dimensional structures from thin sheets of high modulus materials,
profiled in such a way that the whole assembly can be folded essentially
flat; tape-springs are used to provide stability in the deployed
configuration. The practical realization of these structures involves a
number of challenges, which have been addressed so far in the context of a
reflector antenna structure forming a parabolic cylinder. A 4 m long by
1.6 m wide physical demonstrator of this structure has been constructed
from 0.3 mm thick sheets of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP). It is
almost three times lighter than structures based on previous technology
and has a surface accuracy of 3 mm.
The talk will focus on three aspects of the design of these structures:
the range of shapes that can be constructed, the elastic folding of thin
CFRP sheets made from plain-weave prepregs, and how to engineer the
details of a working structure.
