Inflatable Antenna Experiment

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File:Inflatable Antenna Experiment.jpg

The Inflatable Antenna Experiment (IAE) was a NASA experiment that began on May 19, 1996, consisting of an inflatable antenna made of mylar which was launched from the Space Shuttle Endeavour during the 1996 STS-77 mission, in cooperation with the satellite Spartan-207.{{cite web |url=http://www.astronautix.com/craft/iae.htm |title=IAE |publisher=Astronautix.com |access-date=2013-04-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522184735/http://www.astronautix.com/craft/iae.htm |archive-date=May 22, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}{{cite web|url=http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/I/Inflatable_Antenna_Experiment.html |title=Inflatable Antenna Experiment (IAE) |publisher=Daviddarling.info |access-date=2013-04-02}}

The antenna correctly inflated, separating from Spartan-207, before re-entering Earth's atmosphere a few days later, on 22 May. IAE was intended to pave the way for the development of lightweight inflatable structures for space applications.{{cite web |url=http://www.lgarde.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Preliminary-Mission-Report.pdf |title=Preliminary Mission Report: Spartan 207/Inflatable Antenna Experiment |last1=Steiner |first1=Mark (NASA) |last2=Freeland |first2=Bob (JPL) |last3=Veal |first3=Gordon (LGarde) |publisher=NASA GSFC |access-date=18 August 2014 }} The IAE was constructed by LGarde, Inc., an American aerospace company based in Orange County, CA.{{cite web|title=NASA Chief Technologist to Visit Tustin's L'Garde Inc Thursday|url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2012/mar/HQ_M12-040_Peck_Visits_LGarde.html|publisher=NASA News|date=9 March 2012|access-date=21 August 2013|archive-date=September 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130914164829/http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2012/mar/HQ_M12-040_Peck_Visits_LGarde.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last=Cohn|first=Meredith|title=Technology on the Rise: Tustin Firm's Inflatable Antenna Passes a Key Test in Orbit|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-05-22-fi-7110-story.html|access-date=21 August 2013|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=22 May 1996}}

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