Foremost among these is the shear challenge of handling an extremely large, lightweight, and flexible structure on the ground, both during manufacturing and testing. Packaging also becomes exceedingly complicated, as does deployment. Hence it is desired to find alternative paradigms for placing truly large membrane structures in space. In seeking the answer, we are inexorably lead to the spider web. Strong, ultra-light, and built in place.
Some webs even approach being monolithic due to their high silk strand density.
This paper explores the concept of building very large space structures, such as solar sails, by an adaptation of spider web spinning. We assess the current state of knowledge in web building, including both the mechanics and the materials. A survey of requirements for gossamer spacecraft is given. Then concepts will be provided that map natural web spinning into an in-situ manufacturing process. This will point to what fundamental understanding of natural web spinning still needs to occur, and what technology for an artificial web spinning needs to be developed.