DYNAMICS OF A SATELLITE RETRACTING A LONG ELASTIC APPENDAGE

This paper introduces a method for the simulation of motions of a sate llite which, while in motion, extrudes or retracts a long, elastic app endage. The undeployed part of the appendage which is assumed to be wr apped around a drum whose axis is fixed in the satellite is taken into account. The method is used to generate equations governing the motio n of the entire system, coming to grips with the fact that the elastic properties of the deployed part of the appendage are time-dependent. It is shown that whereas the radius of the drum has a small effect on the dynamic behavior the satellite during deployment/retraction, the l ocation of the centerpoint of the drum with respect to the mass center of the satellite is significant, and a location can be found that wil l leave the orientation of the satellite during deployment/retraction practically intact.