Deployable dynamic analysis and on-orbit experiment for inflatable gravity-gradient boom

Inflatable structures have numerous advantages, such as small folding size, high deployable reliability, and low cost. This paper accomplishes several tasks with a focus on the gravity-gradient boom of microsatellite. An inflatable boom model balanced by inflatable deployment and delaminating resistance is presented. A system is established to simulate agravic deployment. The inflatable deployment of a tip mass has been tested with the aid of a 3.0 m rolled deployable boom. The perturbation moment during the inflatable deployment is analyzed. Three inflatable booms are tested in a thermal vacuum chamber further. Based on the tests and analyses, the microsatellite which carried an inflatable gravity-gradient boom was launched into orbit successfully in November 2012. After being stored on-orbit for 6 months, the inflatable method was applied to the inflatable boom to unfold the 2.0 kg tip mass steadily at a distance 3.0 m away from the microsatellite in May 2013. This work completes the test of inflatable on-orbit deployment on the base of microsatellite for the first time internationally.