Deployable mesh reflectors for future communication and observation applications are required to have high gain and high directivity. In order to support these new missions, high surface accuracy reflectors are necessitated. The form-finding analysis for deployable mesh reflectors becomes more vital. It is to determine the equilibrium tension-forces in cables as well as the initial surface profile to assure the required surface accuracy. After reviewing some previously available form-finding methods, a new form-finding analysis approach is presented by this paper. This new approach has two steps. The first step is to investigate the tension-force distribution only for the cable net structure by assuming all circumferential nodes connected to the supporting truss are fixed. The second step is to optimize the tension-force distribution of boundary cables which are directly connected to the supporting truss; the elastic deformation of the supporting truss can thus be compensated. A numerical example has been carried out and the simulation results have demonstrated this two-step form-finding method. It not only can guarantee the reflector surface matches the one by design, but also can warrant all cable tension-forces fall in a specified range.
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