In this paper, development of tape-springs made of composite materials was conducted for the deployment structures along with design, analysis, fabrication, and experimental and numerical investigation of mechanical behavior of the tape-springs. To this end, the tape-springs were manufactured according to three stacking patterns, and numerical and experimental investigation were conducted to determine whether or not they were damaged during bending with various selected composite materials. Finally, optimal materials and stacking patterns that do not cause double breakage were selected during bending. With this information, various tape-spring hinges for a deployed structure were developed, and mechanical characteristics were investigated through a four-point bending test and relevant analysis. From the test results, it was confirmed that the inherent nonlinear hysteresis phenomenon of the tape-springs was properly realized in the moment-bending curve according to folding and unfolding. Therefore, it was confirmed that the composite material tape spring was properly developed.
The verified composite material tape spring hinge was applied to the two deployment structures. The first is the mast for supporting the sub-reflecor of the antenna, and the second is the lunar vehicle unloading device. First, the composite material tape spring hinge was applied to the accommodation and deployment mechanism of the mast for supporting the sub-reflection plate of the antenna. As a result of performing the deployment test, it was confirmed that the two-stage deployment was successful. And Composite tape spring hinges and roll-up solar cells were used to fabricate a unloading device for unloading the rover from the lunar lander to the ground. The deployment test of the rover unloading device applied with a composite material tape spring hinge was performed. As a result of the deployment test, it was confirmed that the deployment behavior.