Thermal vibration analysis of cables in tensegrity during space deployment

This paper presents a dynamic model for cables in tensegrity modules during space deployment, accounting for the combined effects of mechanical forces and thermal loads in the space environment. Key factors such as Coriolis and gyroscopic forces, dynamic stiffening, and coupling between rotation, axial motion and flexible deformation are integrated to characterize dynamic behavior and structural response of the considered cables. Frequencies and modal shapes of representative cable members are derived precisely using dynamic stiffness theory and their dynamic response under space thermal effects is analyzed through a model with accuracy experimentally substantiated. Furthermore, the impact of variable initial stresses, deployment duration, and thermal flux incidence angles on the dynamic behavior of representative members is examined in detail. The results obtained in this study reveal the evolutionary dynamics of tensegrity modules during space deployment, offering valuable insights for the assembly and construction of ultra-large spacecraft.