Transportation Applications, Part 1

The applications of tethers in support of space transportation is divided into: (1) orbit transfer, momentum transfer release/rendezvous (hanging, swinging, and spinning) and simplified docking; (2) orbit maintenance: electrodynamic thrust in or out of plane, electrodynamic libration pumping or damping, momentum scavenging, and isolate thruster exhaust; and (3) transfer within constellation: deployment or retrieval of whole constellation, clothesline loop, hoist, tram for travel on the tether, monkey between the tethers, and power and fluid transfer.