Abstract: The nose cone configuration of space vehicle plays an important role in the optimal aerodynamic shape of each flight stage. It is found that the structural change of honeybee’s abdomen is consistent with the deformation demand of the variant nose cone of the space vehicle, so the bionic variant nose cone structure can be designed by reference to the deformation of honeybee’s abdomen. By observing and analyzing the deformation motion of honeybee's abdomen, the maximum expansion rate and bending angle of honeybee’s abdomen can be obtained, and a variant nose cone mechanism with better performance than honeybee’s abdomen structure can be designed. Based on the kinematics characteristics of 3-RSR parallel mechanism, 3(3-RSR) series parallel mechanism is designed, and its kinematics theoretical calculation and virtual prototype simulation are carried out. The physical prototype of 3(3-RSR) variant mechanism was manufactured and the shell was designed, and the kinematic experiment was carried out. The experimental results show that the maximum elongation of the mechanism can reach 38.87%, the maximum bending angle can reach 60.172°, the positioning accuracy of the telescopic movement can reach 2.25 mm, and the repeated positioning accuracy can reach ±0.49 mm. The structural expansion rate and maximum bending angle of the prototype are better than that of the honeybee’s abdomen shaped structure, and it has a segmentation structure similar to the honeybee’s abdomen shaped structure, which can meet the optimal aerodynamic shape of the space vehicle at different stages.

Key words: bionic design, honeybee abdomen, 3(3-RSR) mechanism, kinematic analysis, experimental verification