Self-shadowing of orbiting trusses

Abstract

The approach used to assess shadowing reductions on the heating of orbiting trusses involves determining the heating rates with slender member shadowing effects included and then obtaining the thermal response of the shadowed member. Steps taken to identify shadowers, find locations where shadowing occurs and calculate shadow intensity are listed. The finite element thermal structural analysis of cable stiffened space structure is delineated and the exact solution of the caternary problem is given. Typical cable surface heating rates are plotted. The structural analysis includes large deformation (nonlinear), thermal effect, and the pretension effect. Displacements and stresses are computed at different orbital positions for an orbit.