Objective
A new, very promising concept of space exploration is the tethered space system (TSS) where two or more artificial satellites in orbit are connected by long thin tethers (cables). During the Atlantis shuttle flight in 1992 an electrodynamic experiment with a 500 kg sub-satellite was performed. The aim of this project is to increase the understanding, reliability and performance of these complex systems by both theoretical and experimental investigations.
The project consists of three parts: first, the development of theoretical and computational methods, based on various mechanical models of increasing complexity of TSS, to investigate both analytically and numerically practically important stationary and dynamic configurations. Questions of stability and stochastisation of motions will be especially important. The second part concerns experiments with reeling mechanisms at a test set-up since a proper modelling of the reeling mechanism for a computational model can only be done if experimental data are available. This will be very important in the study of the dynamics of TSS for changing length of the tether (deployment or retrieval of a sub-satellite). The third part is related to experimental testing of the tension, damping and thermal properties of tethers. Since tethers are very complicated composite structures of different metallic and non-metallic materials they cannot be described computationally without experimental tests.
For the theoretical analysis of a TSS consisting of rigid and continuous flexible structures methods of non-linear continuum mechanics, rigid-body dynamics, numerical analysis, non-linear oscillation theory, stability theory and astrodynamics must be properly combined. However, the meaningful modelling of various components of this complex system and the choice of proper parameter values to be introduced into the computational programs can only be done if proper experiments are performed. The possibility of combining theoretical and experimental investigations is a very promising aspect of this project.
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
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1040 Wien
Austria