一种新型充气式重力梯度杆的研制和在轨展开试验

文章对中国“新技术验证一号”卫星搭载的一种新型充气式重力梯度杆的研制和在轨试验情况进行了介绍。重力梯度杆在小卫星控制领域中具有较好的应用前景，而充气结构具有轻质、占用空间小、发射成本低的特点，采用充气式重力梯度杆可避免传统机械式重力梯度杆质量重、尺寸大和机构复杂的缺点，它以充气伸展臂为主要结构形式，通过充气展开伸直成为重力梯度杆，既作为卫星重力梯度杆又通过在轨试验验证空间充气展开结构的性能。在轨试验结果表明充气式重力梯度杆展开稳定、有序、性能可靠，可以满足小卫星的性能和功能要求。该试验也是中国首个成功的充气展开结构在轨技术验证试验，标志着中国的充气展开结构技术初步具备了工程化能力。

Development and Space Experiment of a New Inflatable Gravity Gradient Boom

Development and space experiment of a new inflatable gravity gradient boom（IGGB）, which was one part of the Chinese satellite XY-1 developed for space experiment of new materials, technologies and parts, was introduced in this paper. The gravity gradient boom has been used in attitude and orbit control system of small satellites. The traditional gravity gradient boom, most of which are mechanism, heavy and complex. Inflatable structure has the characteristics of light weight, small volume and low-cost, it could substitute mechanic gravity gradient boom in small satellites. A long boom acts as both the gravity gradient boom of the satellite and a space experiment of ICGB to testify the space inflatable structure functions. The results of IGGB space experiment indicate that its functions and performances can meet the requirements of XY-1. The experiment is the first successful space verification of inflatable structure technology in China, marking a preliminary of space application of Chinese inflatable structures.