Research on folding and inflation process of the drag balloon deorbit device

Abstract

Drag balloon deorbit device faces problems such as low packaging density and membrane damage during folding, as well as oscillations caused by inappropriate mass rates. In this study, aimed at improving the folding efficiency of drag balloons and ensuring smooth deployment, we propose a new folding method that combines flat spiral bonding with Z-folding. LSDYNA is used to establish a simulation model, and the deployment process of this folding model is analyzed using the Corpuscular Method (CPM). Specifically, we explore the necessary conditions for the smooth inflation and deployment of a drag balloon from the perspectives of the number of valves and mass rate. The results demonstrate that the proposed folding method is a low-damage, high-density one. Increasing the number of valves reduces the oscillation amplitude during the deployment process, enabling the drag balloon to reach a stable state earlier. Increasing the mass rate accelerates the oscillation frequency during the deployment process, which in turn requires more time for the drag balloon to regain stability. Therefore, to ensure the smooth deployment of the drag balloon during inflation, methods such as increasing the number of valves and reducing the mass rate can be employed.