Experimental Characterization of an Extremely High Expansion Deployable Gossamer Structure

A wide variety of structural architectures have been explored to provide very lightweight or “gossamer” boom systems for several different space missions. For very large solar sails, antennae and other systems to be packaged into launch shrouds, they must have very low stowed volume and mass. In order to capitalize on the mass efficiency of tubular truss structures, these structures should have a deployed length to stowed length ratio of 200:1 or better. This paper describes the structural performance of a 323:1 expansion truss structure as determined by ground testing of a 10.7 meter prototype structure.