Reactionless orbital propulsion using tether deploymentExamples of tether propulsion in orbit without the use of reaction mass are discussed. These include (1) using tether extension to reposition a satellite in orbit without fuel expenditure by extending a mass on the end of the tether; (2) using a tether for eccentricity pumping to add energy to the orbit for boosting and orbital transfer; and (3) length modulation of a spinning tether to transfer angular momentum between the orbit and tether spin, thus allowing changes in orbital angular momentum.
Document ID
19910029285
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Landis, Geoffrey A. (NASA Lewis Research Center; Sverdrup Technology, Inc. Cleveland, OH, United States)