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Tethered Coulomb Structures: Prospects and Challenges

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Abstract

A Tethered Coulomb Structure (TCS) consists of discrete spacecraft components being joined through a 3D network of physical tethers. The individual components are electrostatically charged to produce repulsive forces between the units. These Coulomb forces assure that the tethers are in tension at all times, and thus maintain a desired large but lightweight spacecraft structure. Coulomb forces are a very recent and novel method of performing relative spacecraft motion control. The spacecraft charge is regulated by emitting electrons or ions, and results in an essentially propellantless force generation method suitable for long-duration missions. The TCS is a new hybrid concept which exploits Coulomb forces to create an inflationary force across the cluster, while the physical tethers control the final spacecraft separation distances. The Coulomb force fields must be large enough to compensate for differential gravitational accelerations and orbital perturbations. A study of expected charge and performance levels is presented. To deploy a TCS, the tethered physical components are first released, and then the Coulomb force fields are engaged to maintain tension. By carefully increasing the tether lengths the TCS size and shape is controlled over time. The TCS concept is discussed. A tether length control concept to stabilize in-plane orientation is discussed using a simple 3D TCS concept.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

    Carl R. Seubert (Graduate Research Assistant) & Hanspeter Schaub (Associate Professor, H. Joseph Smead Fellow)

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  1. Carl R. Seubert
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  2. Hanspeter Schaub
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Presented at the F. Landis Markley Astronautics Symposium, Cambridge, Maryland, June 29–July 2, 2008.

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Seubert, C.R., Schaub, H. Tethered Coulomb Structures: Prospects and Challenges. J of Astronaut Sci 57, 347–368 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03321508

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