The technology development methodology for a class of large diameter spaceborne deployable antennas

The application of thermally stable graphite epoxy materials in flexure is discussed and deployment mechanism designs that are adaptable to both the proof of concept and the full scale 100 meter system with no modification to the basic concept are presented. The ground deployment test techniques and mechanisms developed for ground demonstration and evaluation of large size antenna structures are presented to illustrate the complexities involved in supporting antenna structural elements in excess of 25 meters in length.