Spacecraft off-orbit electrodynamic tethers

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of spacecraft deorbiting, and discloses a spacecraft deorbiting electrodynamic tether, comprising an electrodynamic tether and a charging and degassing device, wherein the electrodynamic tether comprises a conductive wire and an elastic layer sleeved outside the conductive wire, and the charging and degassing device is connected with the electrodynamictether for charging and degassing into the elastic layer. The invention provides a spacecraft deorbiting electrodynamic tether, the elastic layer sleeved outside the conductive wire is inflated by aninflating / deflating device, so that the elastic layer becomes an air column with an internal air pressure and a certain stretching tension, thus, the electrodynamic rope becomes a rod with certain bending and torsional stiffness in space, which improves the stability of the electrodynamic rope in space, avoids the problem that the effective length of the rope decreases due to the backward folding,does not need to consider the disturbance of the axis direction of the rope, and makes the state control of the electrodynamic rope relatively simple. In addition, it is convenient to model, which makes the electrodynamic tether more convenient and concise in theoretical analysis and model operation.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to the technical field of spacecraft de-orbiting, in particular to a spacecraft de-orbiting electric power tether. Background technique [0002] With the continuous increase of human space activities, the space above the earth is becoming more and more crowded, and the number of satellites and space junk is increasing day by day. According to statistics, there are currently more than 4,300 artificial satellites orbiting the earth, of which only more than 1,200 are in normal operation. A large amount of space junk, including abandoned satellites, has seriously affected the development of human space activities, not only occupying precious orbital resources, but also bringing great uncertainty and security threats to the normal operation of orbiting spacecraft. The size of space debris ranges from millimeters to tens of centimeters. Collisions between them and collisions between existing debris and satellites will generate more new...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Since the thinner electrodynamic tethers are used in the on-orbit tests and theoretical studies, the length of the tethers in space may vary from hundreds of meters to hundreds of kilometers. The shape and state of the tethers It will change with the change of the external force. The tether cuts the earth’s magnetic field line in the space environment. Gravity gradient force and Lorentz force act on the electrodynamic tether with a certain length, which will make the space of the electrodynamic tether The state becomes unstable, and the kinematic analysis of the spacecraft as a whole will become inaccurate

[0005] On the other hand, when conducting theoretical research and de-orbit simulation, it is necessary to establish a theoretical model for the electrodynamic tether. The existing tether models include rigid rod model, elastic rod model, chain rod model, and bead model. model, continuum model, etc. The closer the model selection is to the actual situation, the more complex the calculation process will be. However, the existing models cannot take into account the good accuracy and the convenience of analysis and calculation.

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