Modeling and Simulation of a Flexible Spacecraft Solar Panels Deployment Mechanism with Yoke Driven Assembly

This paper analyses the dynamic behavior of the rigid solar panels deploying mechanism of a spacecraft with flexible hinges. The proposed mechanism, maintaining a proper speed, guarantees the deployment synchronization of solar panels and minimizes the effects of impact and vibration applied during the final stage and after the panels lock-up using torsional springs in the hinges and yoke driven assembly. The equations of the motion of the system are derived using Lagrangian approach and the behavior of the mechanism for constant and variable torque excitation modes is investigated. The simulation results presented along with the dynamic simulations performed by Adams software and conventional mechanisms show the efficiency of the proposed method.