Buckling Analysis of a Ladder Deployable Structure Supporting a Prestressed Film

Controlling the deflection and distortion of lightweight space structures is crucial for their function in space. In this paper, we consider the distortion of a ladder structure when being connected to a film using prestressed kirigami springs. The ladder structure is made with longitudinal CFRP Triangular Rollable and Collapsible (TRAC) booms braced by battens in the transverse direction due to prestress. This paper shows that the distortion is the result of the global buckling of the ladder structure. Then, the design space of the ladder structure has been explored to study the effects of design variables on the magnitude of shape distortion.