On-Orbit Dynamic Thermal Modeling of Large Deployable Mesh Reflectors

Large deployable mesh reflectors are crucial in space applications due to their lightweight and efficient storage characteristics. However, achieving high surface accuracy and managing the significant thermal effects experienced during on-orbit operations remain challenges in deployable mesh reflector design. This paper presents an innovative dynamic thermal modeling methodology for large deployable mesh reflectors, effectively addressing these obstacles. The proposed method considers a comprehensive set of radiation factors including solar, Earth, Albedo, and reflector emissions. This allows for a detailed analysis of dynamic thermal behavior of the reflector, thereby accurately capturing the impact of thermal strains of cable members on surface accuracy. Simulations of a 101-node center-feed parabolic reflecting surface of a deployable mesh reflector indicate that the proposed method can reveal non-uniform temperature distributions, unlike traditional methods that presuppose uniformity. Additionally, the proposed method has proven effective in accurately predicting the root-mean-square error increase of the reflector, typically unobserved in traditional thermal modeling techniques.