TY - GEN
T1 - Active membrane using electrostructure graft elastomer for deployable and lightweight mirrors
AU - Yang, E. H.
AU - Hishinuma, Y.
AU - Su, J.
AU - Xu, T. B.
AU - Morgan, R.
AU - Chang, Z.
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - An important requirement enabling future space missions is the availability of very large, deployed, re-configurable apertures for high-resolution imaging. Membrane-based architectures have the potential for very low aerial densities, which will enable large aperture space telescopes. Two major requirements for considering large apertures are: 1) a high degree of surface control coupled with a low-mass deployable capability and 2) an optical quality membrane mirror technology. Current state-of-the-art deployable aperture technologies have significant limitations in their ability to correct the surface figure following deployment. In this paper, a controlled deformation of silicon membrane mirrors using electroactive polymer has been demonstrated to overcome these limitations. We have designed, modeled, and fabricated Electrostrictive Graft Elastomer (G-elastomer)-based bi-layer membranes. The bi-layer mirror membranes maintain a good working condition after thermal cyclic tests, performed at temperatures between -50°C and 150°C. G-elastomer provides means to drive and control the deflection and curvature of reflective membranes. Several G-elastomer-based bi-layer structures have been optically characterized. This concept can be scaled to a deployable ultra-large mirror with a self-reconfiguration capability.
AB - An important requirement enabling future space missions is the availability of very large, deployed, re-configurable apertures for high-resolution imaging. Membrane-based architectures have the potential for very low aerial densities, which will enable large aperture space telescopes. Two major requirements for considering large apertures are: 1) a high degree of surface control coupled with a low-mass deployable capability and 2) an optical quality membrane mirror technology. Current state-of-the-art deployable aperture technologies have significant limitations in their ability to correct the surface figure following deployment. In this paper, a controlled deformation of silicon membrane mirrors using electroactive polymer has been demonstrated to overcome these limitations. We have designed, modeled, and fabricated Electrostrictive Graft Elastomer (G-elastomer)-based bi-layer membranes. The bi-layer mirror membranes maintain a good working condition after thermal cyclic tests, performed at temperatures between -50°C and 150°C. G-elastomer provides means to drive and control the deflection and curvature of reflective membranes. Several G-elastomer-based bi-layer structures have been optically characterized. This concept can be scaled to a deployable ultra-large mirror with a self-reconfiguration capability.
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U2 - 10.1115/IMECE2007-43541
DO - 10.1115/IMECE2007-43541
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:44349189739
SN - 0791843041
SN - 9780791843048
T3 - ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Proceedings
SP - 369
EP - 373
BT - Proceedings of the ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, IMECE 2007
T2 - ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, IMECE 2007
Y2 - 11 November 2007 through 15 November 2007
ER -