Design, analysis, and experimentation of deployable multi-closed-loop truss modules for aerospace platforms

Deployable multi-closed-loop truss modules (MCLTMs) with a two-dimensional synchronous deployment motion, exhibit significant potential in constructing aerospace platforms due to their advantages of high stiffness and large deploying/folding ratio. This study addresses the kinematic and performance analysis of MCLTM and develops a prototype with optimized parameters. Firstly, the mobility and kinematic model of MCLTM are analyzed. Subsequently, three types of deploying/folding ratios for the modules are defined and analyzed. A stiffness analysis method for multi-closed-loop mechanisms is proposed. Utilizing the method, the stiffness model of the mechanism is established. Based on the stiffness model, stiffness performance indicators are defined and analyzed. The structure parameters of MCLTM are optimized based on the mapping curve between these performances and key design parameters. Finally, the prototype and the drive system are developed, and deployment and stiffness experiments are conducted to verify the feasibility of the mechanism and the correctness of kinematic and performance analyses. This work not only contributes to enriching and developing the theoretical system of deployable mechanisms but also provides a valuable reference for the prototype development of deployable mechanisms.