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Complete International Space Station (ISS): 108 m ITS Truss & Modules
108 m spatial Integrated Truss Structure, pressurized module cluster, 8 solar array wings, and thermal radiators.
Perform global structural stiffness, orbital reboost maneuver static deflection, and modal frequency spectrum analysis of the 108 m ISS structure, verifying that solar array flexure and module cradle trunnions sustain orbital inertial loads without dynamic resonance with attitude control thrusters.
1. Geometry & FEA Mesh
- •108 m Integrated Truss Structure (ITS) spanning x = -54 to +54 m (3.0×3.0 m cross-section) with 24 bays, verticals, horizontals, and intersected face diagonals
- •Pressurized module cluster: Zarya FGB, Zvezda Service Module, Unity Node 1, Destiny US Lab (8.5 m long), Harmony Node 2, Columbus, and Kibo modules modeled as MITC4 shells (t = 4 mm) with ring stiffeners
- •Modules suspended from central truss via triangulated trunnion cradle struts and keel tie beams
- •8 deployable Solar Array Wings (SAWs), each 16×5 m (4 on Port truss at x = -48 m, 4 on Starboard at x = +48 m), stiffened along deployable mast lattices
- •Thermal radiator panels (HRS/EATCS) at x = ±14 m extending aft along -Y
- •Full model: 983 nodes, 1,492 beam elements, 600 shell quads, 5,898 active DOFs
2. Loads & Boundary Conditions
- •Central attitude control / docking port node [0, 0, -3.5] m fixed in all 6 DOFs
- •Internal module cabin pressure p = 101.3 kPa + orbital reboost thrust force F_Y = 6,000 N along +Y + 1g gravity/inertia test
- •100% conformal topology: 0 beam skips, 0 quad skips, 0 crosses, 0 shellcheck errors
3. Simulation Results & Findings
- ✓Maximum tip deflection |u| = 2.60 m at the outermost solar array blankets under 1g gravity check, characteristic of large deployable space structures
- ✓Main ITS 108 m backbone exhibits high axial and bending rigidity with central truss deflection under 45 mm
- ✓Ultra-low fundamental natural frequency f₁ = 0.0494 Hz (0.05 Hz solar array out-of-phase bending), f₂ = 0.0742 Hz, confirming ultra-flexible solar mast dynamics
- ✓Global truss eigenvalue buckling factor λ₁ = 2.79 under combined compression, demonstrating positive structural stability margin
Interactive structural simulation of the largest structure ever assembled in space, demonstrating WebCAE's capacity to handle multi-hundred-meter space-station trusses and pressurized shell compartments seamlessly in WebAssembly.
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