Abstract
A solar sail presents a flat low areal density membrane and is an example of propellant-less propulsion system for the future space exploration. To date, the study of sail membrane deployment strategies is of considerable importance. In this work we present a general theoretical approach to deployment of solar sail of circular shape. We consider a system of a circular membrane attached to a toroidal rim under a force uniformly distributed along the rim’s circumference. The stress and strain of the system required for the successful deployment and mechanical stability of the sail are considered in deployed static configuration. Three examples of the deployment force of different nature are presented: magnetic, electric, and the pressurized gas. We give limitations for the solar sail radius for each considered force.
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