Abstract. Relatively short electrodynamic tethers can extract orbital energy to “push” against a planetary magnetic field to achieve propulsion without the expenditure of propellant. The Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System experiment will use the flight-proven Small Expendable Deployer System to deploy a 5-km bare aluminum tether from a Delta II upper stage to achieve 0.4-N drag thrust, thus lowering the altitude of the stage. The experiment will use a predominantlybare tether for current collection in lieu of the endmass collector and insulated tether used on previous missions. The flight experiment is a precursor to a more ambitious electrodynamic tether upper-stage demonstration mission that will be capable of orbit-raising, -lowering, and -inclination changes, all using electrodynamic thrust. The expected performance of the tether propulsion system during the experiment is described.
Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System Experiment
LORENZINI, ENRICO;
2000
Abstract
Abstract. Relatively short electrodynamic tethers can extract orbital energy to “push” against a planetary magnetic field to achieve propulsion without the expenditure of propellant. The Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System experiment will use the flight-proven Small Expendable Deployer System to deploy a 5-km bare aluminum tether from a Delta II upper stage to achieve 0.4-N drag thrust, thus lowering the altitude of the stage. The experiment will use a predominantlybare tether for current collection in lieu of the endmass collector and insulated tether used on previous missions. The flight experiment is a precursor to a more ambitious electrodynamic tether upper-stage demonstration mission that will be capable of orbit-raising, -lowering, and -inclination changes, all using electrodynamic thrust. The expected performance of the tether propulsion system during the experiment is described.
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