Design and investigation of flexible solar wing: In-plane dynamics

Space satellites are increasingly using flexible solar wings. The dynamic behavior of the flexible solar array in orbit, which is related to the service life, has not been fully studied. In this paper, a new flexible hinge design is proposed for connecting multiple solar arrays, and its influence on the in-plane nonlinear dynamic characteristics of the array is investigated. The novelty of this research lies in the exploration of the deformation mechanisms of these hinges, where a nonlinear static model is developed based on Hamilton principle to accurately predict stiffness properties. Since the nonlinearity of the hinge stiffness has a significant effect on the system response, the combination of complex dynamic frequency (CDF) method and the arc length method are applied to obtain the analytic solution of in-plane dynamic model. During the ground testing, diverse patterns of response are finally discovered, and nonlinear behaviors such as snap-through occurred. These results reveal that by adjusting hinge parameters, both the hinge stiffness and the resonance frequency of the flexible solar wing can be effectively modified. This research provides critical insights and guidance for enhancing the design of structural static margins, avoiding interference frequency bands, and improving system stability.