Development of Light Weight Structure for Technology Experiment Satellite (TES)

摘要

The current trend in aerospace applications is to use high stiffness and strength composite materials in place of aluminum alloys, and growth is more focused on the use of sandwich constructions in aerospace applications. These constructions help to provide higher strength-to-weight and high stiffness-to-weight and greater stability to structures. A step in this direction is the development of all Al-sandwich construction bus for the Technology Experiment Satellite (TES). This article gives a brief summary of the basic design/analysis, fabrication process and tests carried out on the structure/flight models of TES. The results of analysis/tests carried out at various stages of development and the flight structural models are discussed. This design and development of Al-sandwich structures paved the way for the development of the more efficient sandwich structures made of CFRP, used in GSAT-Ⅱ, GSA T-Ⅲand IRS-P5 subsequently.