Oxford Space Systems

RF-engineering defines the “perfect” parabolic shape a foldable reflector antenna (e.g. the membrane) should have. In practice it is virtually impossible to design a deployable backing structure that can meet all RF-imposed requirements. Inevitably the shape of the membrane will deviate from its ideal parabolic shape when material properties and pragmatic mechanical design are considered. There is therefore a challenge to model such membranes in order to find the form they take and then use the model as a design tool and perhaps in an optimisation objective function, if tractable. 

The variables we deal with are:
Elasticity of the membrane (anisotropic or orthotropic typ)
Boundary forces (by virtue of the interaction between the membrane and it’s attachment)
Elasticity of the backing structure (e.g. the elasticity properties of the attachment)
Number, location and elasticity of the membrane fixing points

There are also in-orbit environmental effects on such structures for which modelling could also be of value. For example, the structure can undergo thermal shocks and oscillations can occur that are un-dampened by the usual atmospheric interactions at ground level etc. There are many other such points to be considered and allowed for.