Simulation and experiment for large scale space structure

Abstract

The future space structures are relatively large, flimsy, and lightweight. As a result, they are more easily affected or distortion by space environments compared to other space structures. This study examines the structural integrity of a large scale space structure. A new design of transient temperature field analysis method of the developable reflector on orbit environment is presented, which simulates physical characteristic of developable antenna reflector with a high precision. The different kinds of analysis denote that different thermal elastic characteristics of different materials. The three-dimension multi-physics coupling transient thermal distortion equations for the antenna are founded based on the Galerkins method. For a reflector on geosynchronous orbit, the transient temperature field results from this method are compared with these from NASA. It follows from the analysis that the precision of this method is high. An experimental system is established to verify the control mechanism with IEBIS and thermal sensor technique. The shape control experiments are finished by measuring and analyzing developable tube. Results reveal that the temperature levels of the developable antenna reflector alternate greatly in the orbital period, which is about±120℃ when considering solar flux ,earth radiating flux and albedo scattering flux