A tape-spring hexapod for deployable telescopes: dynamics
Résumé
An hexapod based telescope concept whose legs are
deployable has been investigated in order to stow the
secondary mirror during launch and to self-deploy it in
orbit The main advantages of this concept are: a
reduced volume for launch with high reduction of
passive stability requirements, mass and inertia
reduction inducing an agility gain. The positioning
errors are corrected thanks to the vertical displacement
of the hexapod feet and the final optical performance is
reached thanks to adaptive optics. The paper presents
the first steps towards the optimal design of a
breadboard and the method developed to model the
dynamic behaviour of such a structure with highly
deformed flexible elements and validated with the
results of sine vibration testing of the hexapod. The
following part deals with the evaluation of its
deployment and correction capabilities.