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Removal of captured space debris using a tethered satellite system

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Abstract

The dynamic responses of a tethered satellite system after debris release were analyzed. The tethered satellite system is modelled as two point masses connected by a string. The equations of motion for the tethered satellite system are derived by using the absolute node coordinate formulation to implement large deformation of the tether. In order to analyze the release timing of the debris captured by the tethered satellite system, the release process and a formula for calculating the orbital radius and velocity of the released debris are defined. The release timing of the debris was analyzed for various capture conditions, which include velocities of the debris, orbital eccentricities of the tethered satellite system, and length of the tether. Finally, the orbital radius of the mother satellite of the tethered satellite system were analyzed after debris release, and the orbital radius and the velocity of the released debris were calculated and discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do, 15588, Korea

    Jonghyuk Lim & Jintai Chung

Authors
  1. Jonghyuk Lim
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  2. Jintai Chung
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jintai Chung.

Additional information

Recommended by Editor No-Cheol Park

Jonghyuk Lim received his B.S. degree in 2012 from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Hanyang University. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Hanyang University. His research interests are the dynamic analysis of a tethered satellite system.

Jintai Chung received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Seoul National University in 1984 and 1986, respectively. He obtained his Ph.D. degree from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 1992. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Hanyang University. His research interests are vibration and noise reductions of rotating machines, vehicles and home appliances.

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Lim, J., Chung, J. Removal of captured space debris using a tethered satellite system. J Mech Sci Technol 33, 1131–1140 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-019-0211-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-019-0211-7

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