Measurement of the "IBUKI" solar array panel's behavior using high precision image processing

Abstract

Generally, many space satellites have large solar array panels for power generation and large antennas for observation and communication. The panels and antennas must be lightweight because of the payload weight limit of the launch vehicle. So, they are very flexible, with little damping ability. This results in vibrations cause serious problems. When the thermal environment around a flexible structure on orbit such as a solar array panel changes to cold or hot, the flexible structure produces its own deformation or vibration. These occur most often during rapid temperature changes called thermal snap or thermally-induced vibration, which has been known to cause attitude disturbance in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. Thermal snap vibration occurring on a flexible solar array panel is very slow. It is very difficult to measure thermal snap motion by sensors such as accelerometer. The behavior of a space structure affected by thermal snap has never been observed directly in space so far. This report presents the measurement results of "IBUKI" solar array panel's behavior using monitor camera. © 2013 The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers.