Vibration reduction of flexible solar array during orbital maneuver

Abstract

Purpose – Orbital maneuver of the spacecraft can cause large-amplitude vibration of its flexible solar array, which leads to large dynamic stress and a risk of structural failure and fatigue failure. This paper aims to provide a method to reduce such vibration. Design/methodology/approach – Through controlling the rotation at the root of the solar array, a method of vibration reduction is proposed using zero-placement input shaping technique. Experimental research on a beam scale model of the solar array is performed to verify the effectiveness of the method. Simulation of a detailed example is carried out to investigate whether the method can be applied in engineering. Findings – The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of such method. The simulation results indicate that, by adopting the presented method, the vibration induced by orbital maneuver can be diminished remarkably. Research limitations/implications – Studies on the robustness of the method are left for further work. Additionally...