Abstract
Failure of solar panel array of SFU (Space Flyer Unit) during retrieval due to folding of some of the panel is investigated. Its retrieval behavior is studied experimentally in microgravity environment created by a dropshaft type facility, and then, analyzed by searching the minima of potential energy of the system. The flexural rigidity of the membrane, which is usually small and neglected, is found to strongly influence the deformation of the membrane in the microgravity environment. The failure is shown to be a kind of snapthrough phenomena, where structural deformation during deployment and retrieval follows different paths. Based on these findings, several countermeasures to prevent this type of failure are also proposed.
