Active Shape Control of a Deployable Space Antenna Reflector

Feasibility of active shape formation or correction of a deployable space antenna reflector under the conditions of limited number of actuators and limited information of its surface shape is investigated to aim to suppress its deformations mainly due to thermal loads. Those conditions are practical for actual development of large space antennas. A reflector surface control scheme through checking electrical radiation patterns, instead of measuring structural surface, is also proposed, and its performance is evaluated through numerical simulations.