Adaptive structures: Challenges, issues, and opportunities

Presents an approach to control system design for future space systems which takes account of their precise pointing/shape control needs, their 10-20-year life requirement and the very stringent limitations on system weight. This approach, adaptive structures, exploits recent breakthroughs in advanced composite materials, sensors and actuators, and intelligent control concepts to provide an integrated structure/controller. Ground experiments, the focus of which was to demonstrate and evaluate the emerging control hardware and methodologies on realistic 3D testbeds, are also discussed.<>