Popov

While deploying a rotary solar sail it may be necessary to increase its angular velocity (that is, to make its additional deployment). To achieve this, an additional torque is required (additional deployment torque). Due to fragility of the frameless structure it can lead to considerable displacements of the solar sail wings relative to the stiff part of the spacecraft, even to reeling the wings up on the spacecraft. In this paper the authors propose a mathematical model with two degrees of freedom for estimating the dynamic of the spacecraft with two-blade rotary solar sail with an external torque moment. The model is based on the nonlinear motion equations of two-element pendulum (the first pendulum simulates the stiff part of the spacecraft; second pendulum simulates the blades of the solar sail). This model allows to estimate an admissible torque considering the restriction on the deviation angle of the blades from the stationary position. Software for calculations was developed; dependence of additional deployment on the system parameters and character of the load (suddenness) was analyzed.

Nowadays small and minute space vehicles become more and more useful. It is possible to conduct a complex experiment, using such kind of satellites, at the same time launch of these satellites wouldn’t be too expensive. But deficiency of suitable motors makes usage of small satellites less effective. For solving this problem design of a compact thermo-electrical thruster for small space vehicles was developed and some results of laboratory experiments proving theoretical conclusions were published.