Hexagonal Twist Origami Pattern for Deployable Space Arrays

The hexagonal twist origami pattern has characteristics that made it a candidate for next-generation deployable space arrays. It has a deployed area that is up to 3.3 times larger than the stowed area, has a single-degree-of-freedom which simplifies actuation, it is flat-foldable making flat positions possible in both stowed and deployed positions, and its rigid foldability means that its motion is enabled by rotation about distinct axes without deformation of its panels. Although the pattern shows promise for deployable systems, it cannot be directly applied with thick materials because of the self-intersection of nesting panels. This paper presents the kinematics and mechanical advantages of the hexagonal twist pattern, addresses the self-intersection problem by implementing five different thickness accommodation techniques and provides metrics for comparing thickness accommodation techniques to determine which would be best suited for a given application. The concepts are demonstrated through two applications: a deployable reflectarray antenna and a LiDAR telescope.