A multiple functional connector for high-resolution optical satellites

Fengke She; Gangtie Zheng

doi:10.1117/12.2304260

17 November 2017 A multiple functional connector for high-resolution optical satellites

Fengke She, Gangtie Zheng

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 10563, International Conference on Space Optics — ICSO 2014; 105634H (2017) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2304260
Event: International Conference on Space Optics — ICSO 2014, 2014, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

Abstract

For earth observation satellites, perturbations from actuators, such as CMGs and momentum wheels, and thermal loadings from support structures often have significant impact on the image quality of an optical. Therefore, vibration isolators and thermal deformation releasing devices nowadays often become important parts of an image satellite. However, all these devices will weak the connection stiffness between the optical instrument and the satellite bus structure. This will cause concern of the attitude control system design for worrying about possible negative effect on the attitude control. Therefore, a connection design satisfying all three requirements is a challenge of advanced image satellites.

Chinese scientists have proposed a large aperture high-resolution satellite for earth observation. To meet all these requirements and ensure image quality, specified multiple function connectors are designed to meet these challenging requirements, which are: isolating vibration, releasing thermal deformation and ensuring whole satellite dynamic properties [1].

In this paper, a parallel spring guide flexure is developed for both vibration isolation and thermal deformation releasing. The stiffness of the flexure is designed to meet the vibration isolation requirement. To attenuate vibration, and more importantly to satisfy the stability requirement of the attitude control system, metal damping, which has many merits for space applications, are applied in this connecter to provide a high damping ratio and nonlinear stiffness. The capability of the connecter for vibration isolation and attenuation is validated through numerical simulation and experiments. Connecter parameter optimization is also conducted to meet both requirements of thermal deformation releasing and attitude control. Analysis results show that the in-orbit attitude control requirement is satisfied while the thermal releasing performance is optimized. The design methods and analysis results are also provided in the present paper.

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Fengke She and Gangtie Zheng "A multiple functional connector for high-resolution optical satellites", Proc. SPIE 10563, International Conference on Space Optics — ICSO 2014, 105634H (17 November 2017); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2304260

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