DEPLOYMENT AND STABILIZATION OF AN AERODYNAMIC SPACE TETHER SYSTEM

The aerodynamic space tether system consists of two bodies a spacecraft plus a stabilizer which are connected by a tether. The deployment of the system is mainly effected by aerodynamic forces. In the mathematical modelling, the tether is represented by a number of material points with elastic connections. The aerodynamic resistance of the tether and its mass characteristics are both taken into consideration in the calculation. Different methods of deployment and system dynamics are investigated. These investigations enabled the comparison of the motion of systems comprising a light-weight and relatively short tether with those with a longer tether.