Space laser communication technology facilitates the rapid transmission of spacecraft observation data. The terminal equipment, characterize
Space laser communication technology facilitates the rapid transmission of spacecraft observation data. The terminal equipment, characterized by its compact, lightweight, and energy-efficient design, imposes stringent requirements on the opto-mechanical structure. This study proposes a novel method to replace the aluminum-based silicon carbide (AlSiC) optics housing with a TA15 titanium alloy lattice-filled thin-walled structure. The lattice-filled optics housing structure was designed and manufactured within the constraints of structural size and the processability of additive manufacturing. With the energy-based homogenization method, the equivalent elasticity matrix and the coefficient of thermal expansion of the body-centered cubic lattice structure were calculated. Then, modal and thermal deformation analyses under a uniform temperature rise of 5 °C were conducted. The first-order natural frequency reaches 1300 Hz, significantly exceeding the dynamic design requirement of 100 Hz. The thermal deformation is 16.1% lower than that of AlSiC housing. Next, additive manufacturing, machining, and black anodizing were performed on the design model. Despite a 50% increase in material density, the final weight of the TA15 lattice-filled structure is only 490 g compared to the 498 g AlSiC structure, while also reducing cost and machining time by approximately 50%. Finally, sinusoidal and random vibration tests were conducted on the prototype. The results demonstrated that the titanium alloy lattice-filled structure can withstand the harsh mechanical environment of spacecraft launch with high reliability. This work provides a new idea for the design and manufacture of lightweight, low-cost, and high-efficiency laser communication terminals, which can realize the batch substitution of AlSiC housings.
