A Review of Origami-Based Deployable Structures in Aerospace Engineering

Abstract

Origami is a traditional art form of paper folding that originated in east Asia. In recent decades, the concept of origami has been extensively used to design deployable structures. Due to the strict space and load capacity limitations of the aircraft and spacecraft, the equipment they carried must be deployable and light in weight. The origami-based deployable structures provide the possibility for carrying more aerospace equipment. This paper is an overview of current research on origami-based deployable structures and applications in aerospace engineering, which mainly demonstrates the geometric properties, engineering implementations, advantages, and applications of origami-based deployable structures in aerospace engineering. Some of the latest origami-based space instruments are reviewed to have an insight into their basics and applications.