Deployment Study of a Self-Rigidizable Inflatable Boom

Deployment dynamic behavior of an inflatable space structure is analyzed using a combination of gas dynamic analysis and rigid-body kinematics simulations. Modeling technique is presented for deployment of a simple cantilever boom that is rolled up on a cylindrical mandrel. During this deployment process, boom vibration is captured with the analytical models. The deployment process of a 5-m inflatable/self-rigidizable boom has also been tested, and the test results correlated very well with analytical simulations.