ABSTRACT
To prove design concepts and computing techniques, the space-based Znamya-2 experiment has been prepared and accomplished on 02/04/93. Based on a large number of ground experiments conducted in vacuum chambers at RSC Energia and CRIMB a conclusion was reached that the deployment would not be stable with the film being fed out from simple prima facie folding patterns and a necessity was revealed of using the multi-beam radial folding patterns possessing, due to the multi-beam structure, the symmetry in the field of centrifugal forces while being deployed. The film disc has been constructed of 8 separate sectors put together around the periphery. The reflector deployment mechanism dimensions were such as to match mounting points on the Progress vehicle probe-and-drogue docking unit. In the process of the experiment the angular velocity variations have been measured with a loop oscillograph, as a function of time, on a signal from the potentiometer.
