Design and analysis of modular truss deployable antenna mechanism based on tetrahedral basic unit mechanism with dual height positioning nodes

Modular truss space deployable antennas are key for future large aperture, high precision antennas, already proven in various in-orbit applications globally. This paper introduces a design method for a tetrahedral basic unit mechanism with dual height positioning nodes. A parametric model is established, and its DOF are analyzed to confirm the mechanism’s validity. The new tetrahedral basic unit mechanism constructed by this method is a single DOF mechanism and can locate different parabolic node heights. In order to further adapt to the parabolic and large aperture requirements of the deployable antenna of the truss, a combination unit and modular unit mechanism are developed based on this tetrahedral unit. The DOF and deployment characteristics of the modular unit mechanism are analyzed and validated through simulations. Various networking methods for the modular units are proposed, followed by a comprehensive performance comparison of different modular truss deployable antenna mechanisms. A prototype model of the modular unit mechanism is also developed, with deployment experiments demonstrating the mechanism’s simplicity, low DOF, and large deployment ratio. The findings of this study provide a theoretical and technical basis for the future design and development of truss deployable antenna mechanisms.