[Satellite Today – 3-7-08] SpaceDev Inc. has been awarded a design and development subcontract from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate, SpaceDev announced March 6.
    The Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research contract covers development of cost-effective, deployable reflectors for satellites.
    “This technology takes advantage of recent innovations in spacecraft mechanical deployment systems to form large, stable reflectors for a variety of instruments and antennae,” Mark Sirangelo, SpaceDev’s chairman and CEO, said in a statement. “This system enables the deployment of large aperture reflectors from low-cost launch vehicles through the integration innovative reflectors and deployable structures technologies.”