A graphite/epoxy composite high-gain antenna has been developed for the Viking Orbiter 1975 spacecraft. A thin-skin honeycomb sandwich construction was used for the reflector structure. The antenna has been designed, and several have been fabricated and successfully tested and qualified under simulated launch and space environments. The graphite/epoxy material was used primarily because of the weight saving over a more conventional aluminum honeycomb construction and because of its low expansion characteristics. The low coefficient of thermal expansion of the graphite composite results in a dimensionally stable antenna structure under the extreme thermal environment to be encountered in this Mars mission.
Fabrication of a graphite/epoxy antenna for the Viking Orbiter spacecraft
National Symposium and Exhibition ; 1974 ; Buena Park, CA
1974-01-01
Miscellaneous
No indication
English
Fabrication of a graphite/epoxy antenna for the Viking Orbiter spacecraft
Tema Archive | 1974
|Viking orbiter attitude control analysis
NTRS | 1977
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