Analysis and design of the flexible composite membrane stretched on the spacecraft solar array frame

Abstract

Nonlinear analysis of the deformation of a thin flexible composite membrane stretched on a rectangular cell of the spacecraft solar array frame is presented in the paper. The frame of the array and the thin flexible membrane stretched on this frame are designed to be capable of withstanding the transverse mechanical loadings exerted on the structure during the delivery to orbit and deployment. The governing nonlinear equations modelling the pre-stretched flexible orthotropic membrane are solved using Galerkin method. Results of calculations are compared with those based on finite-element modelling. The comparisons have demonstrated efficiency of the proposed approach to the analysis and design of composite solar arrays featuring orthotropic composite flexible membranes. The parametric analyses were performed for various combinations of the g-force, mass of the photovoltaic elements and dimensions of the solar array.