Abstract: The influence of the diagonal structural parameter (the angle between the diagonal cable and the batten) on the mast shear stiffness and the torsion stiffness was analyzed. An optimization range of the angle was obtained to determine the batten length. The minimum and maximum value of preloads of diagonal cables were obtained based on the rules that the loads on rods would be less than the allowable buckling stress and the mast wouldn’t collapse on orbit. The relationship between the preloads of diagonal cables and contact stiffness of spherical joint was obtained by the Hertz contact theory and the Winkler beam base hypothesis. Afterward, considering the relationship, the modal analysis was carried out with a finite element model of a mast bay. The analysis results show that the fundamental frequency would increase as the preload increases first, and then the frequency would decrease. Also, the optimization range of preloads in test model is between 500 to 700N. The relationship between the maximum torsion during deploying/retracting and latch/unlatch force was obtained by static analysis and ADAMS simulation, the results of static analysis and ADAMS simulation is consistent. Then the maximum torsion test during deploying/retracting was carried out. By comparing with the test data, the error of the static analysis results and the ADAMS simulation one is less than 3%.

Key words: ADAM-type articulated mast, Diagonal cable, Preload, Latch force, Unlatch force