Thermal-Structural Analysis of Deployable Truss Antenna

A finite element model of a deployable truss parabolic antenna is made that deployable trusses are divided into one dimensional transient radiation-conduction rod elements and reflector net is divided into two dimensional transient radiation-conduction membrane elements. Analytical assumption are proposed, temperature function of rod element is linear and temperature function of membrane element is quadratic. In order to obtain all-sided thermal-structural features of antenna, the sun radiation flux is simulated by six cases, which are defined by the angle between sun radiation and antenna net. Based on the model, temperature field and thermal deformation of the antenna are calculated and analyzed. The thermal-structural features of deployable truss antenna and the influence of deployable truss on the whole temperature field and thermal deformation of antenna are presented.