Technology development for a long duration,mid-cloud level Venus balloon

This paper describes the results of ongoing technology development activities for a Venus spherical superpressure balloon capable of flying for long durations (30 days) in the middle cloud layer at an altitude of 55.5 km. Data is presented from a successful aerial deployment and inflation flight experiment on a 5.5 m diameter prototype balloon conducted at a 2.5 km altitude above the Earth. Although the balloon in that test was not released for free flight, all other steps in the deployment and inflation process were successfully executed. Experimental and computational results are also presented from an investigation of the stress concentration phenomenon at the junction of the metal end fitting and fabric end cap of the prototype Venus balloon. Good agreement was found between the simulation and experimental results and a stress concentration factor of 1.55 determined for this end cap design compared to the expectations of thin membrane theory. Finally, results are presented for a new, second-generation Venus balloon material utilizing Aclar™ film instead of Teflon. Optical property and sulfuric acid tolerance data are presented for this material based on laboratory testing of samples.     

A material experiment for small satellites to characterise the behaviour of carbon nanotubes in space – development and ground validation

Over the last years, Carbon Nanotubes (CNT) drew interdisciplinary attention. Regarding space technologies a variety of potential applications were proposed and investigated. However, no complex data on the behaviour and degradation process of carbon nanotubes under space environment exist. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the performance of these new materials in space environment and to revaluate the application potential of CNTs in space technologies.Hence, CiREX (Carbon Nanotubes – Resistance Experiment) was developed as a part of a student project. It is a small and compact experiment, which is designed for CubeSat class space satellites. These are a class of nanosatellites with a standardized size and shape. The CiREX design, electrical measurements and the satellites interfaces will be discussed in detail. CiREX is the first in-situ space material experiment for CNTs.To evaluate the data obtained from CiREX, ground validation tests are mandatory. As part of an extensive test series the behaviour of CNTs under solar ultra violet light (UV) and vacuum ultraviolet light (VUV) was examined. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) and MWNT/resin composite (ME) were exposed to different light sources. After the exposure, the defect density was investigated with Raman spectroscopy. There is a clear indication that UV and VUV light can increase the defect density of untreated CNTs and influence the electrical behaviour.     

Experiments and numerical simulations of an electrodynamic tether deployment from a spool-type reel using thrusters

The amount of space debris is ever increasing, and pollution of the space environment has become a serious problem that can no longer be ignored. Consequently, the active removal of large space debris from crowded economically useful orbits should begin as soon as possible. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has been investigating an active debris removal system that employs highly efficient electrodynamic tether (EDT) technology for orbital transfer. This study investigates the tether deployment from a spool-type reel using thrusters by means of numerical simulations of an EDT system. The thrusters are used in order to ensure the deployment of a tether with the length of several kilometers. In the simulations using a multiple mass tether model, the key parameters are estimated from various on-ground experiments. By means of the numerical simulations, the dynamics of tether deployment is studied and requirements of thruster needed for the deployment, such as the thrust forces and the periods of thruster activation, are clarified.     

Deployment dynamic analysis of deployable antennas considering thermal effect

Dynamic analysis of flexible multibody systems is complex. Several successful methods have been demonstrated. However, few works discussed the dynamic performance of the flexible multibody under different temperatures. This paper uses the absolute nodal coordinate formulation to analyze the flexible body dynamics of deployment structures under different temperatures to simulate space environments. The dynamic equations of finite element in temperature field are developed. Then a computer-aided simulation of flexible multibody systems in temperature field is implemented. A general four-bar mechanism under different temperatures as a simulation example is demonstrated, and the deployment characteristics of a special four-bar mechanism as a basic module of the hoop truss deployable antenna is analyzed under different temperatures in order to evaluate the dynamic performance of the deployable antenna in space environments. The simulation results indicate the influence factors of deployment dynamic characteristics include the structural form, material properties, geometric parameters and deployment planning in ambient and thermal/vacuum environments.     

充气太阳能帆板展开动力学数值模拟预报

充气太阳能帆板是一种通过气体驱动支撑管展开的新型太阳能帆板。首先简要介绍其研究进展，然后针对充气展开支撑管，提出了分段式充气体积控制模型，基于LS—DYNA模拟了空间环境下Z型折叠充气太阳能帆板在支撑管无约束与有轴向约束控制时的展开过程，分析了支撑管每折叠段的气压变化，上横板的动力学特性以及基板的平面外振动，预报了展开过程中支撑管与基板的接触碰撞，并通过悬吊式展开试验验证了计算结果。结果表明，本文计算能够预报充气太阳能帆板在空间展开的动力学特性。     

系绳力对降落伞拉直过程的影响

文章采用多刚体模型研究了伞绳的系力对降落伞拉直过程的影响。在物伞系统的动力学模型中将引导伞、伞包、伞绳及回收物处理为开链式多刚体,提出了n阶的递推算法来求解绳段间的约束力。利用该模型研究了伞绳的系力对物伞系统运动的影响。仿真结果表明伞绳的系力是影响伞包角加速度的关键因素。     

周边桁架式大型星载天线的展开可能性分析

对某周边桁架式大型星载天线的展开可能性进行了研究。在其展开运动机理分析的基础上，建立了展开机构的力学分析模型，并推导了桁架杆内力的计算式。从桁架展开要满足的功能函数出发，给出机构运动可靠性的分析模型。综合考虑尺寸误差和太空环境因素的影响，将运动功能函数视为随机变量函数，利用二阶矩法导出可靠性计算公式。最后，对机构在整个展开过程中的运动可靠性进行预测和仿真。计算结果的变化趋势与实际进程比较吻合，表明本文方法是合理的、有效的。     

Nanosatellite constellation deployment using on-board magnetic torquer interaction with space plasma

One of the advantages that drive nanosatellite development is the potential of multi-point observation through constellation operation. However, constellation deployment of nanosatellites has been a challenge, as thruster operations for orbit maneuver were limited due to mass, volume, and power. Recently, a de-orbiting mechanism using magnetic torquer interaction with space plasma has been introduced, so-called plasma drag. As no additional hardware nor propellant is required, plasma drag has the potential in being used as constellation deployment method. In this research, a novel constellation deployment method using plasma drag is proposed. Orbit decay rate of the satellites in a constellation is controlled using plasma drag in order to achieve a desired phase angle and phase angle rate. A simplified 1D problem is formulated for an elementary analysis of the constellation deployment time. Numerical simulations are further performed for analytical analysis assessment and sensitivity analysis. Analytical analysis and numerical simulation results both agree that the constellation deployment time is proportional to the inverse square root of magnetic moment, the square root of desired phase angle and the square root of satellite mass. CubeSats ranging from 1 to 3?U (1–3?kg nanosatellites) are examined in order to investigate the feasibility of plasma drag constellation on nanosatellite systems. The feasibility analysis results show that plasma drag constellation is feasible on CubeSats, which open up the possibility of CubeSat constellation missions.     

Effects of splined shaft bending rigidity on cylinder tilt behaviour for high-speed electro-hydrostatic actuator pumps

High-speed axial piston pumps are hydraulic power supplies for electro-hydrostatic actuators(EHAs). The efficiency of a pump directly affects the operating performance of an EHA, and an understanding of the physical phenomena occurring in the cylinder/valve plate interface is essential to investigate energy dissipation. The effects of the splined shaft bending rigidity on the cylinder tilt behaviour in an EHA pump need to be considered, because the deflection and radial expansion of a steel shaft rotating at a high speed cannot be ignored. This paper proposes a new mathematical model to predict the cylinder tilt behaviour by establishing a quantitative relationship between the splined shaft deflection, the cylinder tilt angle, and the tilt azimuth angle. The moments exerted by the splined shaft are included in the equilibrium equation of the cylinder. The effects of solid and hollow splined shafts equipped in an EHA pump prototype are compared at variable speeds of 5000–10,000 r/min. With a weight saving of 29.7%, the hollow shaft is experimentally found to have almost no influence on the volumetric efficiency, but to reduce the mechanical efficiency by 0.6–2.4%. The results agree with the trivial differences of the simulated central gap heights of the interface between the two shafts and the enlargement of the simulated tilt angles by the hollow shaft. The findings could guide designs of the cylinder/valve plate interface and the splined shaft to improve both the efficiency and power density of an EHA pump.     

The effect of spatial truncation error on integral inversion of satellite gravity gradiometry data

The satellite gravity gradiometry (SGG) data can be used for local modelling of the Earth’s gravity field. In this study, the SGG data in the local north-oriented and orbital frames are inverted to the gravity anomaly at sea level using the second-order partial derivatives of the extended Stokes formula. The emphasis is on the spatial truncation error and the kernel behaviour of the integral formulas in the aforementioned frames. The paper will show that only the diagonal elements of gravitational tensor at satellite level are suitable for recovering the gravity anomaly at sea level. Numerical studies show that the gravity anomaly can be recovered in Fennoscandia with an accuracy of about 6 mGal directly from on-orbit SGG data.