Design of Deployable Canister Mechanism for the Spaceborne Inflatable Planar Membrane Reflector Antenna

Abstract

The growing demand for large-aperture spaceborne antennas necessitates innovative structural solutions that are lightweight, compact, and capable of reliable deployment in orbit. This study presents the design and development of a deployable canister mechanism for an inflatable planar membrane reflector antenna intended for small satellite platforms. The proposed system integrates a two-step configuration for the canister deployment. The canister mechanism employs a flexural based deployment method to achieve position of the stowed configuration of inflatable antenna. Structural design considerations, such as material selection, packaging efficiency, and deployment behavior, are analyzed using finite element modeling and validated through ground-based deployment experiments. The proposed mechanism demonstrates ease of integration with standard spacecraft buses, offering a scalable and adaptable solution for next-generation deployable antenna systems.