Design of a GOSSAMER-1 type boom deployment mechanism with increased boom root stiffness

Abstract

This thesis deals with the further development of a boom deployment mechanism with integrated boom root deployment. Current deployment mechanisms have a lack of stiffness due to the so-called transition zone, where the boom cannot unfold its entire cross-section. The developed mechanism eliminates the transition zone by deploying the boom root after the longitudinal boom deployment. The thesis includes developing the mechanical design of the deployment mechanism, developing the electronics and testing the deployment mechanism. The results of the parabolic flight test show that the deployment mechanism is capable of deploying the boom with a camera as payload in zero-gravity. The lateral bending test revealed that the convex side of the boom reaches up to 83% of the stiffness of an ideal boom-spacecraft-interface, while the flange side achieves up to 37% stiffness.