Lattice-and-skin 3D printing high lightweight support structure for long strip space mirror

High center-of-mass meter-scale long space mirrors require support structures with high lightweight and high stiffness. These structures present design challenges. For a specific remote sensing camera, the long-strip reflective mirror has a aperture of 800×200 mm. It’s installation interface limited to a 300×120 mm planar surface. The mirror surface is oriented at a 45° angle relative to the installation plane. The mirror's center of mass is located 320 mm away from the installation surface. The total component weight must be less than 23 Kg, with a natural frequency exceeding 80 Hz, and with strict optomechanical envelope constraints. This represents a typical case of a small-interface, high-center-of-mass reflective mirror support structure. To address the requirements, the support structure is fabricated using selective laser melting (SLM) 3D printing of titanium alloy. The design incorporates an outer skin combined with an internal lattice structure to enhance specific stiffness. Finite element analysis (FEA) is conducted using shell elements for the skin and beam elements for the lattice. Based on the simulation results, localized lattice densification and rib reinforcement are implemented to optimize performance. The final structure is realized through additive manufacturing