DEPLOYABLE LARGE-SIZE SPACECRAFT REFLECTOR AND METHOD OF ITS MANUFACTURING Russian patent published in 2012 - IPC H01Q15/16 

FIELD: radio engineering.

SUBSTANCE: reflector comprises a central unit in the form of coaxially arranged base and flange with the centre located near the reflector's top, a power frame made in the form of spikes connected to the base, being mechanically joined via a shaping structure to a latticed web, the shaping structure comprises units, which are joined in axial direction by bracing threads with spikes, reference points on the working surface of the latticed web arranged oppositely to the appropriate units of the shaping structure, and on the surface of the latticed web cells in the centre, a telescopic mast attached to the base, being joined with a single centre to flexible guy lines connected to the specified spikes; on the flange surface at a maximum possible identical distance from its centre, along directions of reflector opening axes of symmetry there are reference points applied, and a size-stable rod of reference length made of invar, for instance, is attached to the flange centre for the period of reflector working surface shape adjustment and monitoring, and the length of this rod may be, for instance, 25% of the reflector's depth, the longitudinal axis of which matches the axis of the reflector passing via its top, and at the free end of the rod there is a reference point in its centre, through which longitudinal axes of the rod and the reflector are arranged. The method of reflector manufacturing includes: adjustment and monitoring of reflector working surface shape while placing it with its opening upwards or downwards, by detection of deviations of vertical coordinates of latticed web working surface points as a result of measurement with the help of a laser scanner and variation of these points' position with the help of brace threads until they approach each other as required with position of theoretical points that belong to the rated surface of required shape; operations are executed using a measurement system with a laser scanner, which is attached to a flat cylindrical plate, which is then affixed to one of two mutually symmetrically arranged levelled flat bases of a technological accessory at a workplace, besides, in the initial position the optical axis of the vertical laser beam of the scanner and the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical plate are matched with the longitudinal axis of the reflector, error of measurement system measurement is identified, the measurement system is periodically controlled from the point of view of accuracy of functioning, mutually agreed placement of the reflector and the scanner and monitoring of measurement system operation accuracy are carried out using data of measurements of distances from reference points arranged on the flange and in the free end of the rod with account of its actual reference length, besides, the scanner shall be arranged at a preset distance from the reflector's top.

EFFECT: invention provides for high accuracy of detecting actual coordinates of reflector's working surface as a result of elimination of systematic errors and highly accurate approximation of their location near rated points located at a theoretical paraboloid of rotation, simplified manufacturing of a reflector, reduced labour intensiveness of reflector manufacturing.

7 cl, 6 dwg