Inflatable deployment dynamics simulation of Solar sail spacecraft support tube

For the issue of Solar sail spacecraft support tube inflatable deployment, utilized MSC.Patran to build the finite element model of solar sail support tube. Proposed segments inflatable mode and integral inflatable mode, imposed normal restraint control force upon these two modes. Simulated deployment dynamics characteristic of z-folded solar sail inflatable support tube of the two modes above by LS-DYNA codes. The simulation results show that: as long as appropriate restraint controls were applied to the support tube, solar sail can be deployed smoothly and effectively. The dynamics simulation results provide some reference to the designers of solar sail deployment mechanism.