Abstract
Future trends show the need for satellite reflectors capable for Q/V-Band applications. For this a tradeoff study for a 1.20m diameter offset reflector is in progress at LLB and HPS under ESTEC contract. Design goals are Q/V-band capability, high thermal and moisture stability and a mass of less than 3kg for the dish. Different options for the structure have been evaluated and compared (e.g. different types of sandwich, thin shells with different support structures). One of these options is to combine a thin shell surface with a structure of ribs on the back side. The topology of this supporting structure was optimized by evolutionary algorithms. This paper deals with requirements, challenges, goals and solutions for the stiffened thin shell concept and also introduces a set of simulation tools which can be used for the integrated modeling of reflectors taking structural and basic electrical requirements into account. In the first chapter, an overview of different candidate materials for the structure will be given, advantages and disadvantages be discussed. After that, different basic layouts for the stiffeners and the topology optimization of the supporting structure will be presented. Also a new tool was developed to simulate a whole orbit of the reflector in space within the FE-environment considering sun radiation, shadowing, infrared and albedo as input. As a last part, some design considerations taking post manufacturing and in orbit adjustments of precision structures shall be explained.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 349-358 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | European Space Agency, (Special Publication) ESA SP |
| Issue number | 581 |
| State | Published - 2005 |
| Externally published | Yes |
| Event | European Conference on Spacecraft Structures, Materials and Mechanical Testing 2005 - Noordwijk, Netherlands Duration: 10 May 2005 → 12 May 2005 |