Japanese/english
RESEARCH ON COMBINED MEMBRANE STRUCTURE

[updated: March 2017]

This research started on the basis of the previous research on inflatable structure such as the one supported by KAKENHI "Dynamics of inflatable space structure", "Prediction of deformation and improvement of shape accuracy of gossamer space structure" and "Inflatable membrane structure system for anti-space debris of nano-satellite" supported by Nihon University. After that, we collaborated with ex Prof. M.C. Natori of ISAS on the research of "compined membrane structure" (membrane combined with support structure such as inflatable membrane proposed by Prof. Natori) as a research topic of "High precision dynamics simulation and establishment of similarity rule of large membrane deployable space structure".


[Concept of combined
membrane structure]

[Deployment experiment of SPROUT membrane in the dark room]

We conducted various numerical analysis and experiments of combined membrane structures. The process of the research is shown in the image in the other web page. The final step of the research process is the space verification by SPROUT.


Result of space demonstration and discussion (March 31, 2017)

We conducted the deployment of the combined membrane structure of SPROUT at 23 June, 2015. The right figure is the photo of the membrane taken on orbit, which shows that the deployment was not completed. We presented the result in the conferences and released the first report of the deployment mission at 13 October, 2015. We conducted the deployment experiment under micro-gravity environment by using an airplane in January and February, 2016 in order to investigate the reason of the deployment failure. The obtained result was documented by Mr. Satoshi Yamada who was a graduate student of our laboratory until March 2017. The video at the lower right is a short summary of the presentation file used in his final presentation for master's thesis.


Photos in orbit(compression ratio: 20%)

[reference]

山田諭, 丸木悠暉, 山崎政彦, 宮崎康行, 微小重力環境下でのインフレータブルチューブの伸展挙動解析 , 第60回宇宙科学技術連合講演会, JSASS-2016-4288, pp.1-5, 2016年9月6日〜9日, 北海道函館市函館アリーナ, 北海道.

大日向健人, 丸木悠暉, 日大超小型人工衛星開発チーム，山崎政彦, 宮崎康行，複合膜面構造物展開実証衛星「SPROUT」の膜面展開結果(第一報），第59回宇宙科学技術連合講演会，2I11，2015年10月7〜9日，鹿児島県民交流センター，鹿児島．

Kento Ohinata, Mahisako Yamazaki, Yasuyuki Miyazaki, Attitude Determination and Control of Nano-Satellite "SPROUT", Digital Proceedings of 30th International Symposium on Space Technology and Science, 2015-f-42, pp. 1-8 , July 7-9, 2015, Kobe International Convention Center, Japan.

Yuki Maruki, Masahiko Yamazaki, Yasuyuki Miyazaki, Ground Experiments of Deployment of Inflatable Membrane Structure of Nano-Satellite "SPROUT", Digital Proceedings of 30th International Symposium on Space Technology and Science, 2015-c-19, pp. 1-6 , July 7-9, 2015, Kobe International Convention Center, Japan.

大日向健人, 日本大学超小型人工衛星開発チーム,　山崎政彦,　宮崎康行, 複合膜面構造物展開実証衛星「SPROUT」の運用速報および今後の計画, 第58回宇宙科学技術連合講演会，JSASS-2014-4513, pp.1-5, 2014年11月12日〜14日，長崎ブリックホール，長崎, 2014.

Kyohei Mita, Masahiko Yamazaki, Yasuyuki Miyazaki, Early Orbit Phase of Deployment Mission of Inflatable Membrane Structure of Nano-Satellite “SPROUT”, 6th European CubeSat Symposium, Estavayer-le-Lac, Switzerland, October 14-16, 2014.

藤原彰太,日本大学超小型人工衛星開発チーム,山崎政彦,宮崎康行, 「ALOS-2小型相乗り副衛星「SPROUT」の開発状況」, 第57回宇宙科学技術連合講演会講演集, 1A02, pp.1-6, 平成25年10月9日-10月11日, 米子コンベンションセンター, 2013.

Ryo Murata, Shingo Shimazaki, Masahiko Yamazaki, and Yasuyuki Miyazaki, "Deployment Mission of Inflatable Membrane Structure of Nano-Satellite “SPROUT”", Digital Proceedings of 29th International Symposium on Space Technology and Science (ISTS2013), 2013-f-41, pp.1-6 , Jun 2-9, 2013, Nagoya Congress Center, Nagoya, Japan.

College of Science and Technology, Nihon University
Department of Aerospace Engineering 		Space Structure Systems Laboratory
College of Science and Technology, Nihon University
7-24-1 Narashinodai, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8501, Japan
e-mail: asel (at) forth.aero.cst.nihon-u.ac.jp