Numerical analysis on the deployment and folding process of large-scale solar sail membrane

For the numerical optimization analysis on the folding and deployment process of the solar sail membrane, a skew leaf-out folding pattern was firstly proposed based on the leaf-in and leaf-out folding patterns. Five folding models with different folding parameters were built upon the three folding patterns. The finite element software ANSYS/LS-DYNA was used to simulate the deployment of these folding patterns. The result shows that solar sail membrane stress along the deployment process is related to the deployment speed and folding width. The area close to the vertex of square solar sail membrane has the highest stress, and should be reinforced. The skew leaf-out folding pattern is the most appropriate folding pattern for the solar sail membrane.