Inflatable Reflector Development
(IRD)

Inflatable antenna design matures in the form of this new 7 meter rigidifiable inflatable antenna structure. The torus and struts on this spectacular configuration rigidify shortly after deployment. The resulting reflector is thermally stable, stiff, and well damped, with a low 1.3mm RMS error for high gain space applications. The entire reflector assembly stows in the small round structure visible above the simulated hexagonal spacecraft. It inflates and rigidifies to the configuration seen. No similar mechanically-deployable system can come close to the weight, stowability, and deployment reliability of the inflatable antenna design.