A study into the dynamics of three dimensional tape spring folds

One of the most significant drivers in satellite design is the minimization of mass, in the attempt to reduce the large costs involved in the launch. With technological advances across many fields it is now widely known that very low mass satellites can perform a wide variety of missions. However, the satellite power requirement does not reduce linearly with mass, creating the need for efficient and reliable small satellite deployable structures. One structural solution for this application is tape springs. Tape springs have been previously studied by many countries for space applications focusing on two dimensional systems. This work studies the possible impact of using tape springs folded in three dimensions. By initially analytically determining the static moments created, simple deployment models can be constructed for tape springs in free space. By determining the impact of these moments about an array fold line, a dynamic model of an array can be created which is directly comparable to the two dimensional system. The impact of the three dimensional fold can then be determined