Modeling_the_Deployment_of_a_Flight_Like_Starshade_Inner_Disk_Subsystem

This study demonstrates the use of a numerical model to simulate the deployment of a starshade inner disk subsystem (IDS) to predict the random shape repeatability error of a large deployable optical system. Past work has shown that a finite element (FE) model created in the commercial code Abaqus can predict the random shape repeatability error to within 5% compared to 22 deployment tests of a prototype test article, and identified that accurate and computationally efficient models of the friction and gap in the hinges are critical to achieving excellent correlation to test measurements. In the current work, the FE modeling approach was employed to represent a more mature starshade IDS configuration through the addition of a flight-like origami folded optical shield and large, flexible petals mounted to the perimeter truss. Several sets of numerical sensitivity studies identified the critical parameters that strongly affect the random shape repeatability errors and bounded the influence of uncertainty in the assembly process and internal preloads. Random shape repeatability error predictions from 44 dynamic deployment simulations spanning a conservative range of the studied parameters verified that the IDS deployed shape repeatability errors would be well within the requirements. This work has shown that the predictions of numerical models, when complementing physical testing, can play a valuable role in the development of deployable optical systems.