Evaluation of Gravity Compensation System Based on a Simplified Truss Structure

Abstract

In recent years, space structures have become larger and more complex in order to achieve increasingly sophisticated space missions. Deployable structures are used to contain large and complex structures in a rocket fairing. The feasibility of deploying these structures in space has been thoroughly investigated from the design stage by means of simulations, and it is necessary to conduct ground tests to confirm the validity of the simulation results during the manufacturing of the actual structures. However, the effect of gravity cannot be ignored when conducting ground tests. Therefore, a gravity compensator is used to counteract the effects of gravity. We have developed a gravity compensator to solve the problems of previously used gravity compensators. However, since we were not able to test its performance, we constructed a truss structure that simulates the support structure of a space-deployed antenna. The deployment characteristics of the truss structure are confirmed through simulations and experiments, and the effect of the gravity compensator on the deployment mechanism is clarified.