Deployable sheet material systems and methods

Abstract

Exemplary deployable sheet material systems may be configured to stow and deploy sheet material. The systems may include one or more masts, one or more extendable booms, and one or more guys wires configured to function in conjunction with each other to deploy the sheet material and then to maintain the sheet material in the deployed configuration.

1 . A spacecraft system for deploying sheet material comprising:
 a primary beam member extending from a first end region to a second end region;   a first mast coupled to the primary beam member;   a second mast coupled to the primary beam member opposite the first mast, wherein each of the first and second masts extends from a proximal region coupled to the primary beam member to a distal region, wherein the distal region of the first and second masts is positioned farther from the primary beam member when the system is in a deployed configuration than when the system is in a stowed configuration;   a spoolable apparatus coupled to the primary beam member, wherein the spoolable apparatus comprises:
 a first boom member proximate the first end region of the primary beam member, 
 a second boom member proximate the second end region of the primary beam member, and 
 a sheet material extending from a proximal sheet region to a distal sheet region and located between the first and second boom members, 
 wherein the first boom member, second boom member, and the sheet material are in a spooled state when the system is in the stowed configuration, and wherein the first boom member, second boom member, and the sheet material are unspooled into an extended state when the system is in the deployed configuration; and 
   a plurality of guy wires comprising:
 a first guy wire extending from at least the distal region of the first mast to the first boom member, 
 a second guy wire extending from at least the distal region of the first mast to the second boom member, 
 a third guy wire extending from at least the distal region of the second mast to the first boom member, and 
 a fourth guy wire extending from at least the distal region of the second mast to the second boom member. 
   
     
     
         2 - 20 . (canceled)