Uniform-tension form-finding design for asymmetric cable-mesh deployable reflector antennas

Space antennas with high gain and high directivity are in great demand for future communication and observation applications. Deployable cable-mesh reflector antennas are required to be tensioned in a self-equilibrated state through form-finding design. In order to ensure the cable-mesh reflector antennas’ high performances, both surface accuracy requirements and tension uniformity should be considered in the form-finding design process. To effectively implement the form-finding design for asymmetric cable-mesh antennas, a two-step uniform-tension form-finding approach is presented. In step 1, with the cable tension and membrane stress being considered simultaneously, an iterative design technique which combines force density method and surface stress density method is presented. In step 2, considering the asymmetry between the rear and front nets, the nodal z-coordinates and cable tensions of the rear net are designed with the combination of the equilibrium matrix method and force density method. Finally, an offset AstroMesh antenna is designed using the proposed method. For the obtained antenna, the cable tension and membrane stress of the front net are completely uniform, and the maximum tension ratio of the rear cable net is 1.06, which are very satisfactory.