Space Origami
Objective
In this experiment, you will be making complex origami that is used by NASA scientists to compact and easily transport solar panels for satellites, solar sails, and more. You will explore how this is done by performing the folds yourself, challenging yourself, digging deeper, and testing more.
Overview
The end goal is to recreate some of these origami techniques on a small scale. You will be following along with this tutorial to see how to create an origami starshade. This is one of the more complex kinds of folds but is a great way to demonstrate and see how space origami works.
Supplies
- Paper ( 8.5 × 11 inch)
- Ruler
- Dry pen or something to score with
- Pen
- Scissors
- Small circular container or jar
- Toothpick
- First, either print out or trace the following shape from NASA.
-https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/resources/project/space-origami-make-your-own-starshade/
- If tracing, make sure you find a way to signify the differences between the red and blue
lines.
- After printing or tracing the shape, cut out the outline of the dotted line.
- Now, using the dry pen or scoring tool, slowly score the red lines in the middle of the shape. You might want to use the ruler to make sure the lines are straight.
- Now flip the paper and pinch the scored lines to make them more defined.
- Look at the step 3 pictures for reference.
- Now, using the dry pen or scoring tool, slowly score the curved red lines that go from the middle of the paper to the outside of the paper. You might want to use the ruler to make sure the lines are straight.
- Now flip the paper and pinch the scored lines to make them more defined.
- Now, you are going to do the same thing to the blue lines but on the back of the paper. To do this, you should first score a dotted line on the front of the paper, following the blue lines to put light indents on the back of the paper so that it is easier to score fully on the back.
- After making the trace line following its score the blue line on the back of the paper. You might want to use the ruler to make sure the lines are straight.
- Now flip the paper and pinch the scored lines to make them more defined.
- Now score all the red lines on the front of the paper between the curved lines.
- Then, flip the paper and score the blue lines by using a ruler to connect the red lines score diagonally.
- now slowly collapse the shape into a circular column shape. This will be where you might want to use the toothpick to make sure there are no creases or unwanted folds.
Other:
- If you’re having trouble, watch this video.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb8VyONlfF8
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Go Further - Optional
Trial 1: Try with something else
- After doing the example one, now go back and try and do it again. But this time, find a new-sized circular container and attempt to get your new one to fit into it. This can be done by resizing the area of the outer shape.
- You can either zoom in or out to make your trace smaller or bigger.
- You can also resize how big the print is if you print the shape.
Trial 2: Find a new kind of fold
- After doing example one, now try to find a different kind of shape (rectangle, triangle, square, etc) and do some research into how scientists might use origami to compact different things into those shapes.
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Reflection Questions
- Do you now realize why scientists use these techniques, and do you think that they are effective? Why or why not?
- Did you have any trouble in creating these folds why and what happened?
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Conclusion
- Write a brief conclusion explaining what you learned. Did this experiment change your understanding of how scientists use origami and how satellites are made to be compact? What challenged you the most? Did you find this experience fun, and if not, how did you feel about it?