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Aerospace
Special Issues
Deployable Space Structures and Mechanisms
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Deployable Space Structures and Mechanisms

A special issue of Aerospace (ISSN 2226-4310). This special issue belongs to the section "Astronautics & Space Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 February 2024) | Viewed by 7170

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Eleftherios Gdoutos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Space Structures Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
2. Proteus Space, Los Angeles, CA 90021, USA
Interests: deployable structures; high strain composites; microsatellites; rapid satellite production
Dr. Armanj Hasanyan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
Interests: fracture mechanics of plates and shells; deployable space structures; composite materials and manufacturing; progressive damage models; higher order micropolar continuum theory

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Deployable structures and mechanisms are critical to the success of almost all space missions. Deployable structures and mechanisms (i) ensure the stowage of photovoltaics (PV), antennas, optical surfaces, and other functional systems and components in a small volume during launch; (ii) autonomously deploy them into a large area or volume prior to operation; and (iii) provide structural support ensuring the required shape characteristics are met under thermal and dynamic loading during operation. Maximizing the ratio of the deployed volume to the stowed volume and minimizing overall mass are key performance metrics for mission capability. Materials such as high strain composites can enable greater capability by reducing the need for separate hinge components and deployment actuators. Specific design challenges vary depending on the mission constraints (e.g. operation in a Lunar environment vs in low earth orbit) and result in different optimal architectures. We invite authors to submit their research manuscripts on all topics related to deployable space structures and mechanisms, including innovative concepts in stowing and deployment concepts, deployable structural architectures, deployment schemes, and high strain composites and materials with applications in the space environment.

Dr. Eleftherios Gdoutos
Dr. Armanj Hasanyan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Aerospace is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • deployable structure(s)
  • high strain composite(s)
  • space structure(s)
  • deployment mechanism(s)
  • ultralight deployable structures
  • lightweight deployable structures
  • flexible structures
  • foldable structures
  • coilable structures

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 3657 KiB  
Article
A Simple Method for Identifying the Natural Frequency of a Micro Satellite with a Primary Structure Made of Aluminum Alloy
by Kei-ichi Okuyama, Keigo Yoshikawa and Chihiro Oue
Aerospace 2024, 11(6), 436; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace11060436 - 28 May 2024
Viewed by 1515
Abstract
Micro satellites must survive severe mechanical conditions during their launch phase. Usually, the structural design of a micro satellite is performed using the internal stress analysis and the natural frequency analysis, which are based on a finite element method (FEM). The validity of [...] Read more.
Micro satellites must survive severe mechanical conditions during their launch phase. Usually, the structural design of a micro satellite is performed using the internal stress analysis and the natural frequency analysis, which are based on a finite element method (FEM). The validity of this structural design is evaluated through vibration tests. In an early stage of development, which has a FEM model of a satellite in the process of creation, presumption of the minimum natural frequency of a satellite may be difficult. In this study, a simple method for determining the longitudinal and lateral minimum natural frequencies of micro satellites during the ascent phase was clarified. The structure of the micro satellites used in this research is made of aluminum alloy, and they have a monocoque structure. The Young’s modulus and moment of inertia of area used to calculate the minimum natural frequencies were determined using the area ratio of the monocoque structure to the entire satellite. When the method proposed in this study is used, the calculated values agree with the vibration-tested values within 10%. In particular, in the case of W6U-type satellites, the two agree within a range of approximately 2% in the longitudinal direction and approximately 5% in the lateral direction. In the early stages of a satellite structure design when a FEM cannot be created, the proposed method will work effectively as the method of determining the minimum natural frequency. In order to simplify the process of micro satellites development, this paper describes a practical estimation method of the minimum natural frequency for micro satellites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Deployable Space Structures and Mechanisms)
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11 pages, 3512 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Behavior of Satellite and Its Solar Arrays Subject to Large-Scale Antenna Deployment Shock
by Jie Zhang, Pengfei Wu, Qinghu Han, Xin Wei and Yi Duan
Aerospace 2024, 11(5), 349; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace11050349 - 28 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1460
Abstract
Satellites should be equipped with more and more deployable, large, flexible appendages to improve their service efficiency and reduce launch costs. The spring-driven deployment method of flexible appendages has been widely applied and generates great instantaneous shock loads on satellites, maybe affecting the [...] Read more.
Satellites should be equipped with more and more deployable, large, flexible appendages to improve their service efficiency and reduce launch costs. The spring-driven deployment method of flexible appendages has been widely applied and generates great instantaneous shock loads on satellites, maybe affecting the safety of other flexible appendages, but the current related investigations for satellites with multiple large flexible appendages are insufficient. In this study, the deployment test of the antenna itself was conducted, and the attitude changes in a satellite during antenna deployment were telemetered. Then, a related dynamical model of the satellite was established and verified by the telemetry values of the satellite. Finally, the shock mechanism transmitted to solar arrays was analyzed, and the effect of solar array attitude was discussed. The results show that the simulated method of antenna deployment equivalent to the shock loads tested was thought to be efficient, though it could cause a small non-zero constant of the simulated angular velocities in the antenna deployment direction. The shock-induced moments, except the rotation direction of the solar array drive assembly (SADA), should be highlighted for the antenna deployment dynamic design of satellites, and the solar array attitude has few effects on the shock-induced loads at the SADA. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Deployable Space Structures and Mechanisms)
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14 pages, 4873 KiB  
Article
Driving Force and Blossoming Analysis of a Composite Triangular Rollable and Collapsible (TRAC) Boom Used in Aerospace Technologies
by Sicong Wang, Shuhong Xu, Lei Lu and Lining Sun
Aerospace 2024, 11(4), 311; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace11040311 - 17 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1178
Abstract
Deployable and foldable tape-spring booms are widely used in aerospace technologies, especially for large-scale membrane structures. Semi-circular (STEM) and lenticular (CTM) boom cross-sections were invented for specific applications since these configurations have either a concise structure or a high twisting stiffness. Moreover, a [...] Read more.
Deployable and foldable tape-spring booms are widely used in aerospace technologies, especially for large-scale membrane structures. Semi-circular (STEM) and lenticular (CTM) boom cross-sections were invented for specific applications since these configurations have either a concise structure or a high twisting stiffness. Moreover, a triangular cross-section (TRAC) boom was proposed years ago, as its more scattered configuration could afford a higher bending stiffness after deployment. Meanwhile, blossoming is one of the most serious failure modes during boom deployment, and is commonly caused by a relatively high load acting on the boom tip. For the sake of avoiding blossoming failure, the highest load a boom can withstand should be found theoretically for a better design. This paper aims at acquiring the highest tip load (i.e., driving force) a TRAC boom can withstand through establishing an analytical model. Furthermore, a numerical analysis is carried out to provide some verification, whose modeling and analysis method has been verified by a comparison with the experimental data from previous investigations. The research in this paper gives more guidance for the design of deployable TRAC tape-spring booms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Deployable Space Structures and Mechanisms)
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17 pages, 10699 KiB  
Article
Multi-Objective Optimization Design of an Origami-Inspired Combined Cushion Airbag
by Yan Xu, Yilong Yang, He Huang, Gang Chen, Guangxing Li and Huajian Chen
Aerospace 2024, 11(3), 169; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace11030169 - 20 Feb 2024
Viewed by 2161
Abstract
To improve the cushioning performance of soft-landing systems, a novel origami-inspired combined cushion airbag is proposed. The geometry size, initial pressure, and exhaust vent area of the cushion airbags are designed preliminarily using a theoretical model. The finite element models, including the returnable [...] Read more.
To improve the cushioning performance of soft-landing systems, a novel origami-inspired combined cushion airbag is proposed. The geometry size, initial pressure, and exhaust vent area of the cushion airbags are designed preliminarily using a theoretical model. The finite element models, including the returnable spacecraft and cushion airbags, are established via the control volume method (CVM) to analyze the impact dynamic behavior and cushioning performance during the landing attenuation process. The cushioning performance of the cushion airbags in complex landing environments are studied to investigate the influence of horizontal velocity, lateral velocity and nonhorizontal landing surfaces. Four design parameters of the cushion airbags, including the initial pressure, venting threshold pressure, exhaust vent area and polygon edge number, are employed to study their influence on the cushioning performance. A multi-objective optimization model of the cushion airbags based on the neural network and multi-objective water cycle algorithm is established to realize the rapid optimization design. The Pareto front of the maximum overload and specific energy absorption is obtained. The analysis results show that the maximum overload of the proposed combined cushion airbags is 7.30 g. The system with the anti-rollover design can avoid rollover and achieve outstanding cushioning performance in complex landing environments. The maximum overload of the returning spacecraft is decreased by 16.4% from 7.30 g to 6.10 g after multi-objective optimizations. This study could provide the technical support for the soft-landing system design of returnable spacecrafts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Deployable Space Structures and Mechanisms)
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