On-orbit temperature field calculation and deploying opportunity analysis for large net-shape antennas′ deploying process

LI Tao*, XIAO Zhiwei, ZHANG Xiaoxiao

1. CAST-Xi′an Institute of Space Radio Technology, Xi′an 710199, China
• Received:2017-12-20 Revised:2018-01-08 Accepted:2018-05-15 Online:2018-08-25 Published:2018-06-07

Abstract:

The deploying process of large net-shape deployable antennas on orbit is complex and risky. The wide temperature of reflector is the key factor because it influences the deployment resistance and the bending capacity of carbon fiber tubes. The effect of temperature on the transmission efficiency and the bending capacity of carbon fibertubes was investigated by high and low temperature performance tests, and the results show that the bending capacity of carbon fiber tubes is best at -65℃, and that the transmission efficiency increases as the temperature rises．Finite element model and node matrix transit method were built for large net-shape deployable antennas, on-orbit temperature field of carbon fiber tubes and T-Joints in antennas′ deploying process were studied. The test result of the transmission efficiency and the bending capacity of carbon fiber tubes change with temperature, confirming antennas′ optimal deploying opportunity and reducing the risk of deploying power shortage and intensity overload. The analysis results indicate that with the large net-shape deployable atennas placed on the east panel of the geostationary satellite platform, the bending capacity of carbon fiber tubes is the strongest during 6:00~9:00 and that the transmission efficiency of T-Jointsis the highest at 4:00.