Project Title:

Intrinsically Adaptive Thin Film Concentrator for Earth Radiometry

94-1	04.03	7000		

Intrinsically Adaptive Thin Film Concentrator for Earth Radiometry

Abstract:

Soil Moisture, surface temperature, forest and ocean conditions may 
be surveyed by space-based radiometry. Large collectors with small 
focal ratios are required for radiometry. Intrinsically adaptive 
deployable membrane concentrators are leading candidates for the 
collector designs. SRS Technologies, utilizing NASA/LaRC 
polyimides, has developed casting methods to fabricate large 
membranes resulting in large accurate collectors. The membranes are 
cast on specially surfaced mandrels, cured and released resulting 
in double curvature shapes. Fabrication parameters have been 
identified through analytical studies which can be varied during 
the fabrication process to control the final shape of the 
collector. Most notably, the thickness can be varied radially along 
the membrane to control the shape of the collector due to pressure 
loadings. Phase I activities will exploit these technologies to 
demonstrate the feasibility of an adaptive collector for earth 
radiometer applications. A demonstration model will be fabricated 
and deployed in Phase I. Research results from Phase I will 
determine the most appropriate fabrication method for construction 
of a large five meter collector in Phase II activities.

This proposed research will lead to an improved collector design 
for deployable collector systems. A commercial market exists for 
efficiently packaged, accurate, cost effective and deployable 
collectors for commercial satellite power, propulsion and 
communications. Materials and fabrication methods developed under 
this proposed research can be commercially applied to construction 
of lightweight composite structures. Improved methods for 
radiometry measurements can enhance the commercial sectors 
utilizing Earth observations data from space.

Key Words

SRS Technologies
1811 Quail Street
Newport Beach, CA 92660