The goal is to strengthen the research infrastructure in vermont by researching a novel and potentially highly reliable method of deploying and controlling the shape of space structures and…

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Shared Services Center awarded a $750,000 cooperative agreement to the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, doing business as the University of Vermont, to strengthen research infrastructure in Vermont. The University of Vermont will conduct research on novel and potentially reliable methods to deploy and control the shape of space structures and antennas. This includes using shape changes to enhance antenna performance and combining deployment techniques with structural control to create feasible designs for large kilometer-scale space structures and sensing systems. The University of Vermont will collaborate with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ames Research Center on structures and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Space Flight Center on antennas to receive technical guidance. No subcontractors were mentioned.

The goal is to strengthen the research infrastructure in vermont by researching a novel and potentially highly reliable method of deploying and controlling the shape of space structures and antennas, exploiting these shape changes to enhance the performance of antennas, and to combine deployment and structural control techniques to create feasible designs for large KM-scale space structures and sensing systems. The research plan includes mathematical simulations of focused deployment, proof-of-concept experiments with 1D and then 2D structures, morphing antennas, and conceptual designs and simulations of KM-scale space structures. Uncertainty of the results will be quantified with repeated experiments and sensitivity analysis. The potential impact of this research for NASA can be substantial with the implementation of improved and more reliable methods of deploying and controlling large space structures, antennas and enabling KM-scale sensing systems. We plan to collaborate with NASA ames on structures, and NASA goddard on antennas to receive technical guidance and advice on NASA relevance. This research will build on existing research infrastructure in vermont in dynamics, electromagnetics, metamaterials, and structures. The project will raise the research infrastructure within vermont on space structures and metamaterials to a higher level by involving senior and junior faculty members, and three graduate students in a collaborative multidisciplinary project of significant relevance to the NASA and other operators of systems in space. The acquisition of test equipment will enable the development of sophisticated test apparatus and procedures that will be of relevance in future research efforts. The project will have a direct impact on economic development in vermont with the education of highly trained engineers at the graduate level and the potential for creation of intellectual property with benefit to the space industry.