Stable tether deployment in microgravity environment using CubeSat
- Paper number
IAC-20,D4,3,6,x58739
- Author
Mr. Kaishu Koike, Japan, Nihon University
- Coauthor
Mr. Shun Yokota, Japan, Nihon University
- Coauthor
Prof.Dr. Yoshio Aoki, Japan, Nihon University
- Year
2020
- Abstract
One of the technical issues required to realize the space elevator project is the stable deployment of tethers. In recent years, several tether deployment experiments using CubeSat have been tried from the viewpoint of cost, but there are not many cases where the planned length could be deployed. One possible cause is the method of energy transfer during deployment. Most conventional satellites have separated the two units using the repulsive force of a spring. With this method, the energy input in the extension direction is only at the time of separation of the satellite, and it is difficult to solve if the tether is involved during deployment. In addition, the string-shaped tether has low rigidity against bending and torsion, and it is difficult to extend linearly over short distances where the effect of gravity gradient is small. In a space elevator system in which a climber moves on a tether, linear deployment of the tether is indispensable, and deployment of a more rigid tether has been performed. The purpose of this research is to establish a stable deployment method for tether deployment in which motor power is transmitted by friction wheels. A tether bending tester has been developed to check the rigidity in the bending and torsion directions. By expanding the tether with a known value of bending stiffness, the limit speed and acceleration without buckling are searched. This paper describes the results of tether expansion in a microgravity environment constructed on a two-dimensional plane and the limit conditions during expansion.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)