Proposal of a New Concept for Lightweight Solar Array Structures with High Rigidity

抄録

The solar paddle is a key component for generating electrical power to maintain satellite in space. In order to undertake and complete advanced space-based missions, it is necessary to develop a satellite capable of autonomous, high electrical power output via numerous photovoltaic cells on the solar paddle. Currently, the solar paddle design is large and heavy, with low rigidity against bending and torsion. The performance of the solar paddle can be estimated by using a power density function, where the generated power is divided by the weight of the solar paddle (W/kg). Furthermore, a satellite system demands more than 0.1 Hz eigenfrequency of the solar array structure's rigidity for maintaining attitude control. Thus, we propose a new concept for a lightweight solar array paddle with high rigidity. This new structure imparts a curvature to the panel attached to the thin solar cells. Moreover, the Storable Tubular Expandable Member (STEM) is placed on the panel. Rigidity can be increased after deployment because of the STEM. In this paper, we estimate the rigidity of the solar array paddle by comparing the finite element method with experimental data.