Attitude motion of spacecraft during oblique solar panel deployment

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to establish the dynamics model of spacecraft during deployment of oblique solar panel using Auto Dynamic Analysis of Mechanical System (ADAMS) and to study the attitude motion of the spacecraft system during the oblique solar panel deployment.Design/methodology/approach – For the case of an oblique solar panel on spacecraft, the dynamics virtual prototype model of deployment of oblique solar panels on spacecraft is established and the dynamics simulation is carried out using ADAMS. The effects of solar panel deployment on the attitude motion of spacecraft with different oblique angles are studied and the attitude motion regularities of spacecraft system are discussed. First, the effects on attitude motion of spacecraft are compared between the normal solar panel deployment and oblique solar panel deployment on a spacecraft. Then the attitude motion of spacecraft during the deployment of solar panel with different oblique angles on spacecraft is studied.Findings – Th...