Three-dimensional Two-Body Tether System - Equilibrium Solutions

Abstract

The tethered spacecraft system was studied. This is a three-body problem formed by the main body with larger mass, m1 and m2 are the smaller bodies and they are connected by a cable. The main body is orbited by the center of mass m1 and m2. The cable was assumed rigid and massless. The study goal is analyze the existing equilibrium to tether in two situations: using a control law for the cable size and constant cable size. Assuming a control law, the solutions were fixed values independent of eccentricity (e) and true anomaly (v) of the system. For the constant case there are periodic solutions, continuous and discontinuous for different values of e and v. The results obtained are angles functions which describe the m1 and m2 plane and out plane motion.