ISRO's future plans of human space flight and planetary explorations will require large space structures like antennas and solar arrays to be deployed in space. These structure will have to be carried into space by launch vehicles that will require a large payload fairing and a large thrust. To minimize these requirements, ISRO is working on mastering the inflatable space structure technology. ISRO has already developed unfurlable structures, but due to their inherent problems like shape errors and large erecting force requirements, it is now developing technology for inflatable structures.
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| ISRO's Inflatable antenna in a container (credit: ISRO) |
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| ISRO's inflatable antenna prototype (credit: ISRO) |
That's a very interesting blog u have.It's 10 times better than any ISRO source available on internet.What is isro's take on solar sail technology and extra terrestrial missions other than mars.
ReplyDeleteThanks Achintya!! I am working hard to make the blog informative.
DeleteISRO is currently working on necessary technologies for deep space explorations (like asteroid and comet flyby). Solar sails have been used by ISRO before on multi-purpose INSAT sats for producing moment to balance the tilting force due to solar radiation pressure on the sat's asymmetric solar arrays. As far as deep space exploration is concerned, currently they are not in the menu as ISRO is exploring ion propulsion and nuclear propulsion for deep space exploration. I will find time and post on this. Thanks for joining the blog!!
Thanks for these cool pics! So for what mission would this inflatable antenna be used? What are the potential applications?
ReplyDeletehii its good to know that we r progressing in space tech..
ReplyDeleteare we doing any reserch on solar sails..JAXA recently tested first solar sail IKAROS ..how far are we from such tech.
hii its good to know that we r progressing in space tech..
ReplyDeleteare we doing any reserch on solar sails..JAXA recently tested first solar sail IKAROS ..how far are we from such tech.