AbstractThis paper presents the mission analysis of a tether-assisted payload retrieval from the International Space Station (ISS). The objective is to assess all relevant phases of such a mission in order to allow a comparison with a conventional mission employing a propulsive deorbitation. The controlled tether deployment procedure and the guided return flight of the released re-entry capsule are optimized. A preferable deployment strategy is identified that allows for favorable entry conditions and low flight loads. The optimal deployment trajectories serve as a basis for an optimal dynamic regulator. This approach is extended towards an adaptive concept, where artificial neural networks are applied to deployment control. For the guidance of the capsule a predictive concept is proposed that is based on the optimal re-entry trajectories identified previously. By applying these concepts, the attainable landing accuracy during return amounts to an average of 5 km, and the application of the tether system exhibits overall system mass advantages. This demonstrates that the tether-assisted return mission is a competitive alternative.


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    Title :

    Optimization of the tether-assisted return mission of a guided re-entry capsule


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2005-09-01


    Size :

    9 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English






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