Structural response of Helianthus solar sail during attitude maneuvers

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ast.2023.108152
• Publication Date: 2023-01-20T17:44:12Z
• Authors: Luisa Boni; Marco Bassetto; Lorenzo Niccolai; Giovanni Mengali; Alessandro A. Quarta; Christian Circi; Rocco C. Pellegrini; Enrico Cavallini
• Keywords: Solar Sail; Underactuation

The Helianthus mission proposal is based on maintaining an artificial L1-type equilibrium point in the Sun-Earth gravitational field by means of a square solar sail, which should provide required propulsive acceleration without any consumption propellant. That vantage would enable scientific observation Sun and guarantee effective monitoring its activity, thus ensuring early warning event catastrophic flares. Due to intrinsic instability points, spacecraft dynamics regulated advanced attitude control system electrochromic devices, can adjust their optical properties through application suitable electric voltage. In particular, sliding mode controller has been recently proposed commute activation state those devices assuming that sail (that is, assembly large reflective membrane supporting booms) behaves like perfectly rigid body. aim this work validate predicted performing accurate structural analysis under operating conditions numerical approach. finite element method used evaluate dynamic response torques context some reorientation maneuvers.