A Cable-net Form-finding Process for an Up-down Asymmetric Rim Truss

Abstract

Traditional AstroMesh cable-net reflectors were deployed via a parallelogram mechanism, which provides symmetric supporting points for the front and rear nets and determines the height of stowed rim truss. In order to further reduce the height of stowed rim truss, a new up-down asymmetric rim truss was proposed without matched cable-net form-finding approach. This paper aims at designing a matched cable-net form-finding process for the new structure.