The analysis of possibility of performing the function of the atmospheric braking device by orbital tether system
Authors: Ivanov V.A., Kupreev S.A., Ruchinsky V.S.
Published in issue: #5(77)/2018
DOI: 10.18698/2308-6033-2018-5-1764
Category: Aviation and Rocket-Space Engineering | Chapter: Aircraft Dynamics, Ballistics, Motion Control
The article considers the possibility of performing the function of the atmospheric braking device in the near-circular orbits by the tether system. The terminal elements of the tether system are two parts of the spacecraft that enhance the effect of gravitational stabilization of the tether system, and the connecting tether significantly increases the overall aerodynamic drag and plays the role of an aerodynamic brake. The mathematical model of the motion of bound objects in the central Newtonian terrestrial gravitational field is developed, taking into account the aerodynamic drag force of the atmosphere upper layers and the mass of the tether. This model is represented in the form of an autonomous dynamic system of the second order and mathematical apparatus of the qualitative theory of dynamic systems and the theory of bifurcations is applied for its analysis. Possible types of qualitative structures were constructed, allowing for composing a complete picture of the relative motion of bound objects at different altitudes of motion. Results of the analysis of qualitative structures of phase trajectories give the set of realizable regimes of tether system motion. In circular orbits these regimes are the equilibrium stationary regime, the regime of oscillations of the tether system with respect to the vertical equilibrium position, and the regime of rotation of the tether system around the center of mass. These regimes correspond to the stable particular phase trajectories of the system and the set of orbito-resistant nonsingular phase trajectories that fill the fixed regions of the phase surface with allowance for the obtained conditions for location of the dynamic system on the connection (with a stretched tether).The results of studying the dynamics of the tether system in the upper layers of the Earth's atmosphere confirm the possibility of its application as an atmospheric braking device
References
[1] Beletsky V.V., Levin E.M. Dynamics of Space Tether Systems. In: Advances in the Astronautical Sciences. San Diego, CA, USA, Univelt Inc. Publ., 1993.
[2] Cosmo M.L., Lorenzini E.C. Tethers in space handbook. Cambridge, MA, USA, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Publ., 1997, 274 p.
[3] Levin E.M. Dynamic Analysis of Space Tether Missions. In: Advances in the Astronautical Sciences, vol. 126. Washington, DC, USA, American Astronautical Society Publ., 2007.
[4] Chen Y., Huang R., Ren X., He L., He Y. History of the Tether Concept and Tether Missions: A Review. In: ISRN Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 2013, pp. 1–7.
[5] Misra A. Dynamics and Control of Tethered Satellite Systems. Acta Astronautica, 2008, vol. 63, iss. 11–12, pp. 1169–1177. URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2008.06.020
[6] Aslanov V.S., Ledkov A.S. Dynamics of Tethered Satellite Systems. Cambridge, Woodhead Publ. Ltd, 2012, 331 p.
[7] Kumar K.D. Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, 2006, vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 705–720. URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.2514/1.5479
[8] Zimmermann F., Schttle U.M., Messerschmid E. Optimization of the Tetherassisted Return Mission of a Guided Re-entry Capsule. Aerospol Science and Technology, 2005, vol. 9, no. 8, pp. 713–721. URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ast.2005.09.002
[9] Williams P. Optimal Deployment/retrieval of Tethered Satellites. Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, 2008, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 324–348.
[10] Kruijff M., Van der Heide E.J. Qualification and In-flight Demonstration of a European Tether Deployment system on yes2. Acta Astronautica, 2009, vol. 64, pp. 882–905. URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2008.10.014
[11] Ivanov V.A., Kupreev S.A., Ruchinsky V.S. Orbitalnoe funktsionirovanie svyazannykh kosmicheskikh obyektov [Orbital functioning of the tethered space objects]. Moscow, INFRA-M Publ., 2014, 320 p.
[12] Ivanov V.A., Kupreev S.A., Ruchinsky V.S. Kosmicheskie trosovye sistemy [Space tether systems]. Moscow, Alfa-M Publ., 2014, 208 p.
[13] Pearson J., Carroll J., Levin E., Oldson J. EDDE: Electrodynamic Debris Eliminator for Active Debris Removal. Acta Astronautica, 2012, vol. 73, pp. 100–108.
[14] Andronov A.A., Leontovich E.A., Gordon I.I., Maier A.G. Kachestvennaya teoriya dinamicheskikh sistem vtorogo poryadka [Qualitative theory of the second order dynamic systems]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1960, 568 p.
[15] Andronov A.A., Leontovich E.A., Gordon I.I., Maier A.G., Teoriya bifurkatsiy dinamicheskikh sistem na ploskosti [The theory of bifurcations of dynamic systems on the plane]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1967, 488 p.