Observing reflected light from Earth-like planets orbiting Sun-like stars is a top priority for astronomers and for NASA. An orbiting starshade (170,000 km away) could cast a shadow of the central star without blocking the reflected light from its planets. So that it can be used with the largest ground-based telescopes, the starshade needs to be 100 m in diameter. This large structure must be tightly packaged so that it can fit inside the fairing of a large rocket (e.g., Falcon Heavy or Starship). It must also have the lowest possible mass so that chemical thrusters can keep it aligned during observations and solar electric propulsion system can change its orbit to observe many targets. NASA seeks breakthrough mechanical/structural concepts for a deployable, low mass, high stability, and high stiffness starshade structure.
Award: $7,000 in total prizes
Open Date: July 12, 2022
Close Date: August 22, 2022
For more information, visit: https://grabcad.com/challenges/nasa-challenge-ultralight-starshade-structural-design