Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019).

InterTronic Solutions Inc. designs and manufactures High precision ground antennas operating at very highx000D
radio frequencies which require a significantly increased pointing-accuracy. Accordingly, an accuratex000D
prediction of the antenna's structural dynamic response to field operating conditions with particular emphasisx000D
on aerodynamic loads and gust turbulence is of great importance to the antenna's structural and systems design.x000D
This information is also essential for the development of a robust control system capable of achieving designx000D
requirement with sustainable pointing-accuracy.x000D
Research is required to develop a high fidelity dynamic aeroelastic model of a large high precision groundx000D
antenna that is being developed by our industrial partner. The dynamic aeroelastic model will be used tox000D
conduct an extensive dynamic aeroelastic response analysis of the antenna to determine its structural dynamicx000D
characteristics, systems interface response as well as corresponding transient pointing-accuracy under severex000D
environmental conditions. The developed dynamic aeroelastic model will then be integrated into a multiscalex000D
topology design optimization framework to maximize the pointing-accuracy and minimizing weight of thex000D
antenna. It is expected that the outcome of this research will reduce transient operational limits of the antennax000D
as well as opening the door for new applications and customers for products of InterTronic Solutions.