The art of paper folding, known as origami, has transcended its artistic roots to become a key source of inspiration for science, engineering, and architecture – particularly in developing deployable, compact, and adaptable structures. These structures have proven versatility across several applications, from medical devices to the aerospace industry. In astronomy, deployable origami-inspired structures have been used in telescopes’ segmented mirrors that fold compactly for launch and unfold seamlessly in space; solar arrays that can be compressed into compact forms and expanded into large, efficient energy-harvesting structures; and satellite instruments, such as antennas, where efficient packaging and reliable deployment are the highest priorities. Deployable origami-based structures have also been explored in starshades to suppress unwanted starlight from a star, reconfigurable metasurfaces for dynamically manipulating electromagnetic waves, dynamic optical elements, and solar sails. Building on these applications, this study delves into origami engineering. At the core of origami engineering is the folding pattern, which defines the creases and structural behavior of the design. We identify and evaluate the most commonly used origami patterns in deployable structures, emphasizing their applications in space missions and astronomy. We restrict the analysis to patterns that are tessellable because they can approximate complex geometries, including planar, parabolic, and other curved surfaces. We simulate the behavior of these patterns under different conditions and analyze the mechanical and geometrical properties, kinematics, actuation loads, and resistance, providing a framework for selecting the most suitable one according to the specific requirements of each application. The applications of these origami-inspired systems are not limited to aerospace; they have the potential to revolutionize the design of deployable structures in multiple disciplines. However, their impact on astronomy is particularly significant. These systems offer efficient and versatile solutions to engineering challenges in extreme environments, enhancing portability, reconfigurability, stability, and sustainability in space exploration.

This paper is focused on explaining the radiation test in temperature performed on the Engineering and Qualification Model of the Medium Gain Antenna Radiofrequency (MGA-RFA) Assembly of ESA's BepiColombo mission. The goal of this program is to observe and study Mercury and its surroundings in a very demanding environment in terms of temperature and radiation. The MGA is an X-band two-axis steerable horn, which provides bidirectional communications between spacecraft and Earth as backup of the High Gain Antenna and also operates as primary communication link at several mission stages or conditions. The paper presents the measurement set-up for the qualification campaign of the antenna, where it was necessary to characterize the antenna in a representative thermal environment, and the results obtained from this test. Results of test up to 150°C show how gain and radiation pattern shapes are slightly affected by thermal stress, but without jeopardizing mission requirements. In addition, by analyzing correlation of this test with RF analysis in the same thermal conditions, it becomes possible to accurately extrapolate the MGA-RFA behavior up to temperatures of more than 500°C. This fact allowed the successful space qualification of this model.