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Optical space telescope structures: The state of the art and future directions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2016

M. J. Santer  and
K. A. Seffen
M. J. Santer
Affiliation:
[email protected], Department of Aeronautics, Imperial College London, London, UK
K. A. Seffen
Affiliation:
[email protected], Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Abstract

Future space telescopes will be required to have significantly greater aperture and lower areal density than is currently achievable. Gossamer spacecraft structures have been proposed as a means of achieving this, but the technologies are far from mature. A state-of-the-art review is timely and necessary as new structural paradigms are being considered for the next generation of space telescopes. There is, however, a knowledge gap between the structural engineering community and the additional fields involved in the complete telescope system, leading to the proposal of structures which are unlikely to be launched. It is hoped that, by providing a resource by which structural engineers are made aware of the wider issues in telescope design, this review will serve to overcome this knowledge gap to facilitate productive collaboration.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 113 , Issue 1148 , October 2009 , pp. 633 - 645
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2009 

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