A modular space deployable antenna has the advantages of extensibility, adaptability, and versatility, which is an ideal structure to meet the development trend of large aperture, high precision, and light weight for the deployable antenna in the future. To date, there are few reports on the temperature response of a modular deployable antenna in the thermal alternating environment in orbit. The aim of this study is at investigating the influence of a modular deployable antenna support structure on the surface accuracy and stability under the space thermal alternating environment. For this purpose, the thermal-structure analysis of the deployable antenna support structure was carried out by ANSYS APDL finite-element software. Using the transient temperature field obtained by thermal analysis as the boundary condition, the coupling law of stress development and thermal deformation of the support chord and cable caused by the antenna structure constraint position and other parameters is analyzed. In a uniform thermal field, the thermal stress of cables in the central module of the structure is the highest and that of the chord components in the same-circle modules is essentially the same. The thermally stress of the upper chords increases progressively toward the outer module, whereas that of cables decreases in the same direction. The thermal deformation at the upper-layer centroid of the structure can reach about 15 mm, so the influence on the accuracy of the antenna cannot be ignored. When the splicing vertical rod of adjacent modules in the outermost of the support structure is taken as the constraint connecting with the extension arm, the thermal deformation of the structure is minimum. The heat-insulating composite coating should be adopted on the surface of the antenna structure to reduce the thermal deformation and improve the adaptability. The thermal-structural analysis model proposed in this study could accurately estimate the behaviour of thermal deformation for the modular space deployable antenna, but the further coupling condition of the nonuniform temperature field could still be conducted. The results can provide a reference for the basic theory and engineering application of thermal-structural analysis for extralarge-aperture modular deployable antennas in the future.

中文翻译：

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模块化空间可展开天线支撑结构的热结构分析

模块化空间展开天线具有可扩展性、适应性和通用性等优点，是满足未来展开天线大口径、高精度、轻量化发展趋势的理想结构。迄今为止，关于模块化可展开天线在轨道热交变环境中的温度响应的报道很少。本研究的目的是研究在空间热交变环境下模块化可展开天线支撑结构对表面精度和稳定性的影响。为此，采用ANSYS APDL有限元软件对可展开天线支撑结构进行了热结构分析。以热分析得到的瞬态温度场为边界条件，分析了天线结构约束位置等参数引起的支撑弦杆和电缆应力发展与热变形的耦合规律。在均匀热场中，结构中心模块中的拉索的热应力最高，同圆模块中的弦构件的热应力基本相同。上弦杆的热应力朝向外部模块逐渐增加，而电缆的热应力沿相同方向减小。结构上层质心处的热变形可达15 mm左右，对天线精度的影响不容忽视。当以支撑结构最外侧的相邻模块的拼接竖杆作为与延伸臂连接的约束时，结构的热变形最小。天线结构表面应采用隔热复合涂层，以减少热变形，提高适应性。本研究提出的热结构分析模型可以准确估计模块化空间展开天线的热变形行为，但非均匀温度场的进一步耦合条件仍然可以进行。研究结果可为今后超大口径模块化展开天线热结构分析的基础理论和工程应用提供参考。本研究提出的热结构分析模型可以准确估计模块化空间展开天线的热变形行为，但非均匀温度场的进一步耦合条件仍然可以进行。研究结果可为今后超大口径模块化展开天线热结构分析的基础理论和工程应用提供参考。本研究提出的热结构分析模型可以准确估计模块化空间展开天线的热变形行为，但非均匀温度场的进一步耦合条件仍然可以进行。研究结果可为今后超大口径模块化展开天线热结构分析的基础理论和工程应用提供参考。