Abstract
The deployment of a solar array is simulated three-dimensionally using the multibody program SIMPACK. The analyses are performed for 500 real-time seconds, which contain the three deployment phases, (I) jump-out, (II) steering phase and (III) deployed phase. The goal of the simulations is to check the influence of the flexibility of the solar array on the solar generator motions during these three phases against results obtained by a rigid body model simulation.
The modelling of flexible bodies is based on the widely used method of floating frame of reference formulation applying global shape functions (Ritz method). The preparation of a proper set of shape functions to represent the flexibility of the yoke and the six solar panels is one of the main objectives of thispaper. For each of the components, eigenmodes and static modes forvarious boundary conditions are computed using the finite elementprogram NASTRAN.
For a good convergence of the Ritz approximation with a smallnumber of shape functions, the shape functions are selected usingmodal participation factors, that are computed for various load casesprior to the time simulations. The load cases are obtained, for example,by a rigid body simulation of the deployment phases. The proposed methodof shape function selection using modal participation factors isdemonstrated by examples.
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Wallrapp, O., Wiedemann, S. Simulation of Deployment of a Flexible Solar Array. Multibody System Dynamics 7, 101–125 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015295720991
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015295720991