Testing of a cold gas deployment system for a tape tether

Paper number

IAC-05-D4.3.10

Author

Mr. Steven van de Heijning, Technical University of Delft (TUDelft), The Netherlands

Coauthor

Mr. Marcel Kwakkel, Technical University of Delft (TUDelft), The Netherlands

Coauthor

Mr. Emile Arens, Technical University of Delft (TUDelft), The Netherlands

Coauthor

Mr. Robin Raus, Technical University of Delft (TUDelft), The Netherlands

Coauthor

Mr. Barry Zandbergen, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands

Year

2005

Abstract

In the ESA Parabolic Flight Campaign 2005, deployment of a tape tether using a cold gas propulsion system in a microgravity environment was demonstrated. This paper describes the design and the results of the performed experiment. The results were used to verify the design of the tether ejection mechanism intended for flight on Delfi-1 university satellite. 
The goal of the experiment was to determine the deployment velocity of the tether against the deployed tether length during the first meters of the deployment. The results were extrapolated to analyze the deployment for the much longer tether of Delfi. Also the influence of thrust plume and shape memory effect of the tether material on the dynamics of the tether was determined.
The experiment was conducted during two parabolic flights, each flight consisting of thirty parabolas, creating a microgravity environment of around 20 seconds in which the experiment was conducted. The experiment consisted of the tether, an end-body fixed to the free end of the tether, a reel, a cold gas propulsion system and several instruments built in an experiment container. The container was mounted onto a supporting structure, which is fixed to the airplane. The tether deployment started with the release of the end-body, after which the cold gas propulsion system, situated on the end-body, ensured the deployment of the tether. For each deployment, a new tether was used. Cameras were used to record the motion of the end-body and the deployed tether, and the velocity of the end-body was measured.

Abstract document

IAC-05-D4.3.10.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-05-D4.3.10.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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