Prototype Development and Dynamic Characterization of Deployable Cubesat Booms

The current barrier to CubeSat proliferation is their lack of utility depth. These small satellites are exceptionally well suited for specific space missions such as space weather observation and other scientific data gathering exploits, however, they are not suited for every mission. The 10cm-cube form factor that gives the CubeSat its unique advantage is also its greatest hindrance. A potential bridge over this gap is the successful integration of deployable booms onto the CubeSat structure. With this research, the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) explored the parameters of deployable tapespring booms using the triangular retractable and collapsible (TRAC) cross-sectional geometry developed by Air Force Research Labs (AFRL) and used on NASA's CubeSat, Nanosail-D These booms were augmented with reflective membranes and specifically designed to deploy on orbit for the purpose of ground observation, observations that could later be used to determine the deployed dynamics of the booms from optical data gained passively by solar illumination.