Revolutionary satellite structural systems technology: a vision for the future

A number of revolutionary spacecraft structures and control concepts are currently being developed, which when successfully implemented will dramatically change the way future space systems are designed and developed. Many of these concepts will offer new challenges to the designers of the spacecraft structures and control systems. Some of the concepts being explored are: (i) Ultralight Precision Deployable Systems. Revolutionary concepts for compact, lightweight, deployable precision reflectors based on recent breakthroughs in ultralight optical quality mirrors and precision mechanisms. (ii) Multifunctional Structures Satellite. Satellite bus design concept using multifunctional structures (MFS) that promise to reduce the bus weight by an order of magnitude as well as the fabrication, integration, and launch cost. (iii) Lightweight Flexible Solar Array Systems. To meet the ever-demanding space power requirements at low weight, ultra-lightweight solar array concepts using advances in smart materials, multifunctional structures, and thin film photovoltaics promise up to a factor of five improvement over current technology. (iv) Launch Vehicle Payload Isolation. Passive and active isolation of the payload from the launch environment providing innovative approaches for spacecraft design, integration, test and launch survivability. These revolutionary concepts are explored in the context of their impact on the future design of spacecraft.