Solar Thermal Vacuum testing of deployable mesh reflector for model correlation

This paper will discuss the rationale, methodology, and principal results from a Solar Thermal Vacuum (STV) test of a deployable mesh reflector that was performed in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory\´s twenty-five foot Space Simulator. The test was performed in support of several Earth Science Missions to provide an empirical understanding of the thermoelastic behavior of a modern deployable mesh reflector. A state-of-the-art photogrammetry system was utilized to measure deformations of the reflector under various illuminations up to one full sun (1420 W/m²) in order to correlate and validate existing predictive analytical models. Photogrammetric resolution of 0.025 mm RMS (0.001") was achieved over the entire 5 meter aperture for each test case. The resulting validated models will increase our confidence that Earth science mission instruments utilizing large aperture deployable mesh reflectors will perform as predicted. Furthermore, this testing has raised our deformation analysis capability for this reflector from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 to TRL 6.