Kawai Kwok is one of eight University of Central Florida recipients to receive the NSF Career award for his research proposal of examining flexible yet strong material capable of performing as a satellite solar sail, and then being able to roll up from the satellite s base as easily as measuring tape.
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Analyswift (West Jordan, Utah, U.S.), a Purdue University-affiliated software company that provides efficient high-fidelity modeling software for composites, in conjunction with the University of Southern Florida as the primary research institution, has received a NASA Small Business Technology Transfer contract to improve the design of composites, including thin-ply composites, such as those needed for spacecraft and NASA missions.
Thin-ply composites, named for their cured ply thicknesses of less than 0.0025 inch, are made from woven fibers materials such as carbon fiber, graphene and other polymers. Strength comes from slight curves along the ply’s edges that allow them to support weight rather than bending backward. This attribute reportedly makes them strong enough to support satellite payloads, such as solar sails for solar-powered space travel, or serve as supports for large spacecraft. Further, thin-ply composite structures can be rolled up, compacted and stored