DYNAMICS OF AN ELECTRODYNAMIC TETHER PROP ULSION SYSTEM

Basic dynamics of an electrodynamic tether in propulsive mode are pres ented. After a short introduction to the tether field, this paper revi ews current methods for numerical simulation of tether systems. Using the implementation of a lumped mass model, basic tether movement is ob served as a dumbbell libration of the endmasses, superimposed by a sim ple transverse wave. For typical configurations, tether bending is ins ignificant compared to the dumbbell movement. Electrodynamically induc ed system motion dominates over other environmental effects, producing distinctly higher tether displacement out of the orbital plane than i n-plane.