Research on Equivalent Scale Analysis for On-Orbit Assembly of Ultra-Large Space Structures.

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Engineering
• Structural Mechanics
• Space Systems Engineering

Background:

• Ultra-large structures are essential for space missions like Earth observation and deep space exploration.
• On-orbit assembly of these megastructures requires advanced technologies for precision and stability.
• Evaluating vibration and static deformation during assembly is critical for structural integrity and surface accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish an equivalent scale analysis method for evaluating the on-orbit assembly of space-based megastructures.
• To develop scaling relationships between mechanical properties and module dimensions for accurate performance prediction.
• To facilitate precise evaluation of mechanical characteristics during the assembly of large space structures.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical modeling to establish scaling relationships between mechanical properties (natural vibration, static deformation) and module diameter.
• Numerical analysis to validate the established scaling laws.
• Equivalent scale analysis for predicting full-scale structure behavior.

Main Results:

• The study established scaling relationships between structural natural vibration, static deformation, and module diameter.
• Numerical results confirmed that halving module diameter increases natural frequency ~4x and decreases static deformation ~8x, aligning with scaling laws.
• The developed method accurately infers the on-orbit mechanical behavior of full-scale structures.

Conclusions:

• The equivalent scale analysis method provides an efficient tool for evaluating ultra-large space structure assembly.
• This method enables accurate prediction of on-orbit stiffness, stability, and surface accuracy.
• It supports precise mechanical characteristic evaluation during the on-orbit assembly of space-based megastructures.