Study on thermally induced vibration of flexible boom in various thermal environments of vacuum chamber

In order to simulate the thermally-induced vibration phenomenon of the flexible thin boom structure of the spacecraft such as the thin solar panel and the flexible cantilever with the attached tip mass in space, the thermally-induced vibration including thermal flutter of the flexible thin boom with the concentrated tip mass was experimentally investigated at various thermal environments using a heat lamp and both vacuum and air condition using the vacuum chamber. In this experimental study, divergence speed, natural frequency and thermal strains of the thermally-induced vibration were comparatively evaluated at various thermal environment conditions. Finally the thermally-induced vibration of the flexible boom structure of the earth orbit satellite in solar radiation environment from the earth eclipse region including umbra and penumbra was simulated using the vacuum chamber and power control of the heating lamp.