Vibration control for the solar panels of spacecraft: Innovation methods and potential approaches

Solar panels on spacecraft are typical kinds of flexible structures. Low-frequency and large-amplitude vibrations usually occur due to the inevitable disturbances of deployment impact, attitude/orbit maneuver, separation/docking impact, and so forth. These vibrations degrade the stability of the spacecraft platform, leading to a reduction in imaging quality and pointing direction accuracy. Vibration control is obligatory during flight missions. Here, we summarize the researches on vibration control of the solar panels. First, typical solar panels used in spacecraft and the specific difficulties in dynamic modeling and control design are introduced. Next, the researches on dynamic modeling methods, decentralized vibration control strategy, and in-orbit vibration controller design technologies are presented sequentially. Finally, a practical example where our method was successfully applied in-orbit is described. In conclusion, the theories, methods, and technologies presented in this review hold significant value for achieving high-precision performance in large spacecraft.