The deployed Inflatable Antenna Experiment

The Inflatable Antenna Experiment (IAE) was a NASA experiment that began on May 19, 1996, consisting of an inflatable antenna made of mylar which was launched from the Space Shuttle Endeavour during the 1996 STS-77 mission, in cooperation with the satellite Spartan-207.[1][2]

The antenna correctly inflated, separating from Spartan-207, before re-entering Earth's atmosphere a few days later, on 22 May. IAE was intended to pave the way for the development of lightweight inflatable structures for space applications.[3] The IAE was constructed by LGarde, Inc., an American aerospace company based in Orange County, CA.[4][5]

References

  1. ^ "IAE". Astronautix.com. Archived from the original on May 22, 2013. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  2. ^ "Inflatable Antenna Experiment (IAE)". Daviddarling.info. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  3. ^ Steiner, Mark (NASA); Freeland, Bob (JPL); Veal, Gordon (LGarde). "Preliminary Mission Report: Spartan 207/Inflatable Antenna Experiment" (PDF). NASA GSFC. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
  4. ^ "NASA Chief Technologist to Visit Tustin's L'Garde Inc Thursday". NASA News. March 9, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  5. ^ Cohn, Meredith (May 22, 1996). "Technology on the Rise: Tustin Firm's Inflatable Antenna Passes a Key Test in Orbit". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
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