A research team has created a method that simplifies the measurement of wrinkles on thin membranes utilized in large spacecraft, using only one camera.
Escaping Earth’s gravity demands a significant amount of fuel and energy, which limits the cargo capacity of rockets, making it crucial to optimize every gram. To help reduce weight, scientists are exploring the use of thin membranes as lightweight materials. However, their tendency to wrinkle—similar to plastic wrap—can hinder their performance. Hence, there is a critical need for technology that accurately measures these deformations.
Professor Takashi Iwasa from Osaka Metropolitan University’s Graduate School of Engineering spearheaded a project to develop a method for assessing the size of wrinkles on thin membranes, employing photogrammetry with just one camera. By analyzing images taken before and after the material is stressed, the researchers can measure the amplitude and wavelength of the wrinkles. They print measurement points on the membrane, and any shifts in these points reveal the extent of deformation.
“Previously, multiple cameras were necessary for this type of measurement, but our study shows that we can effectively determine wrinkle sizes by using tension-field theory with data from a single-camera setup,” said Professor Iwasa. “This research is particularly focused on large thin membrane spacecraft and is anticipated to be useful in environments with restricted space for camera installation.”
The results of this study were published in Measurement.
