Configuration synthesis of hoop truss deployable mechanisms for space antenna based on screw theory

• Main Authors: Bo Han, Yundou Xu, Jiantao Yao, Dong Zheng, Xiaoyu Guo, Yongsheng Zhao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: AIP Publishing LLC 2019-08-01
• Series: AIP Advances
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.5115219

Hoop truss deployable antenna can realize the communication and data transmission between satellite and earth, which is an important type of satellite antennas, and its configuration design is currently one of the research hotspots in the field of aerospace. Based on screw theory, configuration synthesis of the hoop truss deployable mechanisms for space antenna is studied in this paper. First, the constraint synthesis method based on screw theory is briefly described, the structure and folding principle of hoop truss deployable mechanism are analyzed. Then, structure decomposition of the hoop truss deployable mechanism is carried out, it is divided into upper hoop edge, lower hoop edge and connected rods. The movement features of the nodes are described by the prismatic (P) joints, configuration synthesis of the hoop edge mechanisms is carried out, and 18 kinds of constrained branch mechanisms are obtained, two kinds of constrained branch mechanisms are selected through analysis and optimization. Furthermore, hoop edge mechanisms are obtained by combining the constrained branch mechanisms, and five hoop truss deployable mechanisms are obtained through different connection combinations. Finally, simulation models of the five kinds of hoop truss deployable mechanism are built in Solidworks and Matlab software, the deployment processes are simulated and verified, and their characteristics are analyzed and discussed. The research in this paper provides a good reference for the configuration synthesis of spatial deployable mechanisms, and the hoop truss mechanisms obtained in this paper can be well applied in the field of aerospace.