Fabrication of composite shell structure for advanced space transportation

It is pointed out that future space missions, such as those involving spacecraft and structural assemblies to be used in geosynchronous orbits, will require ultralightweight composite structures to achieve maximum payloads. Of equal importance is the requirement to provide designs that are cost-competitive with metal designs. For space structures that must resist buckling, graphite-epoxy materials offer an attractive potential for providing lightweight, low-cost structural components that will meet future space mission requirements. A description is presented of a program which was conducted to evaluate the merits of graphite-epoxy cylindrical shells and to continue the development of a design data base for ultralightweight structures. An objective of the program was to design, fabricate, and test a corrugated graphite-epoxy cylinder 10 ft in diameter and 10 ft long.