NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Tether System for Exchanging Payloads Between the International Space Station and the Lunar SurfaceSystems composed of several rotating and/or hanging tethers may provide a means of exchanging supplies between low Earth orbit facilities and lunar bases without requiring the use of propellant. This work develops methods for designing a tether system capable of repeatedly exchanging payloads between a LEO facility such as the International Space Station or a Space Business Park and a base on the lunar surface. In this system, a hanging tether extended upwards from the LEO facility, places a payload into a slightly elliptical orbit, where it is caught by a rotating tether in a higher elliptical orbit. This rotating tether then tosses the payload to the moon. At the moon, a long rotating "Lunavator" tether catches the payload and deposits it on the surface of the moon. By transporting an equal mass of lunar materials such as oxygen back down to the LEO facility through the tether transport system, the momentum and energy of the system is conserved, allowing frequent traffic between LEO and the lunar surface with minimal propellant requirements.
Document ID
19980202363
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Robert P. Hoyt
(Tethers Unlimited (United States) Bothell, Washington, United States)
Date Acquired
August 18, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1998
Publication Information
Publication: Tether Technology Interchange Meeting
Publisher: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Subject Category
Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance
Meeting Information
Meeting: Tether Technology Interchange Meeting
Location: Huntsville, AL
Country: US
Start Date: September 9, 1997
End Date: September 10, 1997
Sponsors: Marshall Space Flight Center
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: P3776-5-96
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
Document Inquiry

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available