Research

Objectives

The Structural Dynamics and Control Laboratory (SDCL) research group has been advancing engineering technologies for large precision spacecraft structures for over ten years. "Large" spacecraft structures are designed more for on-orbit operational requirements as opposed to launch loads.

The SDCL research group endeavors to advance our understanding of structural mechanics issues critical to the design and control of these structures. The group focuses on identifying and developing experimentally validated theories and models of the fundamental mechanics which drive the engineering of these structures.

Recent Research Activities

Recent research topics have included

• Scalable architecture studies of large (10-100 m) optical precision instruments
• Experimentally validated models of precision deployment mechanisms
• Methods for propagating model and test uncertainties in ground verification activities

More info about current projects can be found on our Projects or our Publications pages. Summaries of past research projects can be found here.