Deployment of dishes with surface discontinuities

The transformation of doubly curved surfaces, without affecting their geometric integrity, into quasifoldable mechanisms via surface discontinuities is proposed. The potential high accuracy, simplicity, and relative freedom of design inherent in this concept are highlighted, Some mechanical characteristics of applications to parabolic dishes are discussed, and kinematic feasibility is demonstrated for a few example designs, Achievable stowage compactness is shown to be competitive with current technology. Functional and manufacturing concerns are summarized.