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Electrodynamic Propulsion System Tether Experiment (T-REX)A Japanese-led international team is developing a suborbital test of orbital-motion-limited (OML) bare wire anode current collection for application to electrodynamic tether (EDT) propulsion. The tether is a tape with a width of 25 mm, thickness of 0.05 mm, and is 300 m in length. This will be the first space test of OML theory. The mission will launch in the summer of 2010 using an S520 Sounding Rocket. During ascent, and above approximately 100 km in attitude, the tape tether will be deployed at a rate of approximately8 m/s. Once deployed, the tape tether will serve as an anode, collecting ionospheric electrons. The electrons will be expelled into space by a hollow cathode device, thereby completing the circuit and allowing current to flow. The total amount of current collected will be used to assess the validity of OML theory. This paper will describe the objectives of the proposed mission, the technologies to be employed, and the application of the results to future space missions using EDTs for propulsion or power generation
Document ID
20100024214
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Johnson, L.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Fujii, H. A.
(Kanagawa Inst. of Tech. Tokyo, Japan)
Sanmartin, J. R.
(Universidad Politecnica de Madrid Madrid, Spain)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
May 3, 2010
Subject Category
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Report/Patent Number
M10-0514
M10-0592
Report Number: M10-0514
Report Number: M10-0592
Meeting Information
Meeting: 57th JANNAF Joint Propulsion Meeting
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Country: United States
Start Date: May 3, 2010
End Date: May 10, 2010
Sponsors: Department of the Army, Department of the Air Force, NASA Headquarters, Department of the Navy
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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