What is it about?

A simulation of a roll-up solar array is done using multibody dynamics software with mesh-based flexible bodies. Deployment torque can be calculated accurately and dynamic behavior can be assessed. Custom functions are developed to make the solar array model development more efficient.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

Simulation of roll-up solar arrays has a high value because of the difficulty of physical testing and the need for robust behavior.

Perspectives

This paper gives one example of how multibody dynamics software with mesh-based flexible bodies can simulate models that can't be done with traditional multibody dynamics software or nonlinear finite element analysis.

Dr. Brant A. Ross
MotionPort

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Simulation of the Deployment of a Flexible Roll-Up Solar Array Using Multi-Body Dynamics Software, January 2016, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA),
DOI: 10.2514/6.2016-1703.
You can read the full text:

Read

Contributors

The following have contributed to this page