SEMINAR: Deployable Composite Structures for Spacecraft Applications

Abstract: 

Composite materials are light-weight with a high stiffness and strength, which makes them particularly well suited for use in spacecraft applications. In order to get to space they must be stored in a small space and deployed once in orbit. This is often a very challenging design problem that requires a detailed understanding of the material behavior. In this talk I will explore the carbon fiber deployable boom systems that have been created at NCSU. This will entail a detailed analysis and characterization of the material response including new techniques for understanding the material response. We will then transition to look at how the booms can be deployed once in orbit. Two different deployment devices have been developed that will be explored in detail including models that help to scale the systems and understand performance. Finally, we will investigate the response in a simulated space environment to understand how the performance changes with environments.

Biography:

Dr. Mark Pankow is currently an Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at North Carolina State University where he runs the Ballistic Loading and Structural Testing Lab (BLAST). Dr. Pankow completed his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo, his M.S. and his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Prior to joining NC State, he worked as a post-doc at the ARMY Research Laboratory understanding composite materials in extreme environments. He is also an associate Faculty with the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at UNC and NCSU along with associate faculty with the Applied Physics Department at UNC.