Spacecraft hinged-panel structures feature a multi-hinged configuration,
substantial dimensions, low stiffness, and low damping, making them susceptible
to sustaining low-frequency vibrations under multi-source excitations. To
address this challenge, a novel stiffness-tunable hinge is proposed for low
frequency vibration attenuation. Firstly, the hinge structural geometry and
stiffness-tunable principle are presented. Subsequently, FEM models of
multi-panel structures incorporating stiffness-tunable hinges are developed. The
natural frequencies and mode shapes of the system are investigated. Simulation
results indicated that the multi-panel structures reveal bending vibrations,
torsional vibrations, and coupled bending–torsional vibrations of the
hinge-panel structure. Finally, a microgravity experimental platform was
developed, this experimental platform offers several advantages, including
extremely low friction, unconstrained horizontal motion, a compact structure, a
small footprint, and robust reliability. The gravitational load of the
hinged-panel is nearly counterbalanced, thereby enabling its unrestricted,
omnidirectional translation across the horizontal plane. The experimental
results rigorously validated the link between hinge stiffness-tuning and system
eigen-frequency migration. Furthermore, vibration suppression at low frequencies
of 0.29 Hz (for three-panel) and 0.31 Hz (for four-panel) was realized using
non-contact magnetic excitation. This approach achieved amplitude reductions of
approximately 9.70 dB at 0.29 Hz and 12.53 dB at 0.31 Hz. These findings
demonstrate a novel strategy for suppressing low-frequency vibrations in
spacecraft structures.