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Structural design of a satellite is a complicated iterative process that contains selection of configuration,
materials, design, analysis and testing. Structural design is dependent on the design requirements set by
the other subsystems like power, propulsion, communications and thermal. The design process starts at a
conceptual stage with design specifications which are based on mission requirements. In general the
specifications include the accommodation of payload and subsystems, launch requirements,
environmental protection, thermal and electrical paths, good stiffness, mass efficiency and high reliability.
The structural design process also provides an interface to each individual unit or equipment in order to
aid the integration sequence.
Methods of satellite design
Today, three separate methods exist within the field of satellite design. These practiced methodologies
are:
-Conventional subsystem by subsystem design, unique to each mission.
-Modular design for multiple missions.
-Low cost/high risk design
Conventionally, satellites are designed uniquely for each mission.
After defining the requirements and constraints of the mission, each one of the subsystems of the satellite
namely power, propulsion, attitude determination & control, thermal control, communications, command
& data handling, and the structure - are designed separately and iteratively. This method of satellite
design probably produces the most reliable spacecraft for a particular mission but also makes the
spacecraft most expensive.
Skin-frame structures
The skin-frame structural design uses an interior skeletal network of axial and lateral frames to mount
exterior skin panels using fasteners or rivets. The frames support bending, torsion, and axial forces. The
skin reinforces the structure by supporting the shear forces introduced by the interior member
connections. The skin is sometimes minimized to save mass, even though the thin skin leads to some
structural instability. When the skin buckles due to shear, it transfers all additional shear loads to in-plane
tension forces at 45 which must be supported by the connections. The buckling modes of the skin exhibit
large deformations that make it insufficient for exterior mounted components such as solar cells. The
buckling strength of the assembly is typically increased by adding intermediate members.
Truss structures
Truss structures use an array of members that can only support the axial loads. Truss members are
produced independently and arranged typically in an array of triangles for stability. The members are
manufactured using extruded tubes made of composite, metallic, or sheet metal materials. A stable truss
is statically determinate and has no excess members to introduce the alternate load paths. Trusses are
generally mass efficient when the members are configured into rectangular or triangular cross-sectional
assemblies. However, they become less efficient as the cross-section becomes more circular or
hexagonal. Also, the design of the structure creates an inherent stress concentration at the interface
mounting points, such as separation systems. Components may be mounted both internally and
externally and the absence of shear panels enables easy access to a payload.
Monocoque cylinders
Monocoque cylinders are axisymmetric shells that do not contain any stiffeners or frames. The shells are
manufactured by using metallic or sandwich panels with curved sections formed by rolling. Typically, two
or three curved sections are fabricated and assembled into the cylindrical configuration. The strength of
monocoque cylinders is usually limited by its buckling strength. The shells are most efficient when the
loads are distributed evenly throughout the structure. Components are typically mounted to the walls
using fasteners; however care must be taken not to overload the shell and cause local failures. The
monocoque cylinder design is applicable to spacecraft with body mounted solar cells and relatively
lightweight components.
Skin-stringer structures
Cylindrical skin-stringer structures are designed using axial and lateral frame members attached to an
outer skin. These designs are similar to skin-frame structures; however, this class of structures refers to
circular cylinder configurations. The skin is sometimes minimized to save mass, even though the thin skin
leads to some structural instability. The Post-buckling behavior of the skin transfers the additionally
applied shear loads to torsion by the diagonal tension phenomenon described above. The skin and
members must attach uniformly to enable the assembly to act as a continuous structure.
Typical connection methods include fasteners and/or rivets. Interior components are usually mounted to
the walls at locations along the stringer assembly. This method is more efficient than monocoque cylinder
component mounting at introducing local loads. The skin must be designed sufficiently stiff to enable
sound mounting of exterior entities such as body mounted solar cells.
The absence of shear panels in truss structures cannot be used for body mounted solar panels. The
monocoque cylinder structure is difficult to assemble and integrate as it is generally made of two or three
curved sections and components are mounted on the wall as it does not contain stringers or frames. The
interior components in the skin-stringer structure are usually mounted to the walls at locations along the
stringer assembly and hence difficult to mount more number of components. As the skin-frame structures
use interior skeletal network of axial and lateral frames to mount exterior skin panels using fasteners
which is further used to fix the body mounted solar panels. The axial and lateral skin-frame structures are
used to accommodate more number of subsystems than any other structures.
Sandwich Panel
Multifunctional Structures
Multifunctional structure (MFS) technology incorporates several functions into the primary structure of a
spacecraft. The main goal of these members is to minimize unwanted mass by incorporating chassis,
cables, connectors and thermal control components into the satellite primary structural walls. The walls
are typically constructed out of fiber composites or sandwich panels, and the electrical components are
embedded during manufacturing. The design allows for an easily accessible, removable, and modular
electrical system. The benefits of this technology include a 70% reduction in electronic enclosures and
harnesses, a 50% reduction in spacecraft volume required for these conventional components, a
reduction in labor required for spacecraft assembly and an extremely robust system with wide
applicability to several mission.
For the design of the external spacecraft geometry, it is necessary to keep the manufacturing cost as low
as possible. This leads to the selection of flat surfaces only in order to avoid the growing of costs
necessary for tooling the curved surfaces.
For selecting a suitable crossed internal structural configuration a preliminary free vibration analysis was
made for some 11 possible options without subsystems. The shape, the mass and the natural frequency
for the first three modes of all the possible options are given below.
Option 1
Full-length vertical cross webs between the top deck and the bottom deck with a height of 600mm.
Option 2
Full-length vertical cross webs between the top deck and the bottom deck with a height of 450mm.
Option 3
Framework cuboids of 600*600*600 mm, a bottom deck, a middle deck and a top deck connected by
angle sections between them and without any cross.
Option 4
The structure consists of a deck plate placed in-between the top deck and the bottom deck exactly at the
center, two cross webs passing between them along X-direction and one cross web passing full length
along Y-direction. The overall dimension of the structure is 600*600*600mm. In the same way there are
two cross webs passing along X-direction and one cross web passing full length along Y-direction between
the middle deck and he bottom.
Option 5
The structure consists of top deck and bottom deck placed at a distance of 600mm with the middle deck
placed in-between them at the center. There are diagonal cross webs between top deck and middle deck.
Option 6
The structure consists of diagonal cross webs between bottom deck and middle deck and vertical cross
webs passing full length between middle deck and top deck. The overall dimension of the structure is
600*600*600mm.
Option 7
Full diagonal cross webs pass between the bottom deck and middle deck and half Diagonal cross webs
between middle deck and top deck.
Option 8
Half diagonal cross webs between bottom deck and middle deck, also between the middle deck and top
deck. The overall dimension of the cuboids is 600*600*600 mm.
Option 9
Half vertical cross webs between bottom deck and middle deck and also between the middle deck and
top deck. The overall dimension of the cuboids is 600*600*600 mm.
Option 10
Full vertical cross webs in between bottom deck and middle deck -half vertical cross webs in between
middle deck and top deck. The overall dimension of the cuboids is 600*600*600 mm.
Option 11
This configuration consists of bottom deck, middle deck having a small hole at the center and the top
deck as the dimensions mentioned in options 10. The vertical cross webs between the bottom deck and
the middle deck have cutouts at the top and the bottom. These cutouts, holes are provided for the
purpose of integration. Also it has 4 numbers of half-length vertical cross webs between the top deck and
the middle deck.
On the basis of mass, stress and first three frequency values a study was made on the eleven possible
structural configurations for the micro- satellite considered with body-mounted solar panels. The
structural configurations with very high mass were rejected first and further the configurations with very
low frequency values and high stress values were also not considered because of their low stiffness and
low strength values. Then the remaining configurations were considered to find out whether they
accommodate all the possible subsystems and also provide easy integration.
Mass Estimation
Although a significant design process is required to determine the attributes of a spacecraft structure, for
a preliminary design the critical output is the structures mass, and that can be estimated from other
preliminary results. Inputs into the mass estimation include the various mission design parameters and
outputs from the other subsystem analyses.
Structural Examples
Modular Assembly
Anatomy Of S/C
Cost
The cost of a satellite shows the value and expense in the construction of a satellite. In 1971 the average
overall costs for launching, developing, maintaining, and operating a single application satellite in orbit
over a period of 5-10 years usually exceeds 10 million a year.
The manufacturing and development costs in industry of Earth satellites are proportional to their weight.
"With the coefficient of proportionality lying between $100,000 and $160,000 per kg., depending upon
various factors. These factors are past experience of contractors which is often all sub-systems already
developed that can readily be adapted. The design complexity, "spinning satellites with body mounted
solar cells can be expected to be near the lower value, and 3-axis stabilized satellites near the higher.
Payload complexity, "costs increase rapidly with the complexity of payload instrumentation" . Even when
this does not influence the simplest design of a satellite. Project duration is when fast developments are
likely to cost much less than long ones but they are also connected with higher risks of delays. The last
factor is overall weight which is a second order of tendency that exists, "nevertheless, towards a decrease
in specific costs per kg. With increasing spacecraft weight, because several sub-systems are little affected
by satellite size" .MCI came away the winner of a Federal Communications Commission Auction. Also the
worth of a global sensory organ has a cost of operating. It can cost up to more than 50 billion.
Reference
-Rodger Farley (NASA GFC) Satellite design, Febraury 2003
-Chapter 10 (LM-3 Series Launch Vehicle Manual), Satellite Design Requirements
-Design Techniques for Small satellite Structure (M. Madey and R.C. Baumann), Goddard space flight
center NASA, July 1979