A vehicle, such as a satellite or other spacecraft, includes an electrodynamic tether connected thereto. A processor, contained within the vehicle and connected to the electrodynamic tether, is configured to cause a current to be directed to the electrodynamic tether to cause a change in motion of the vehicle. Sensors, such as an attitude sensor, a position sensor, a magnetometer, and an ionosphere sensor, are contained within the vehicle and are connected to the processor. The processor is configured to direct current to the electrodynamic tether based upon input received from the sensors to maintain the vehicle within a specified orbit, such as a highly-inclined eccentric orbit over the polar or other high-latitude region, or to change the vehicle's orbit. The processor may be configured in a closed-loop configuration to account for measured errors by the sensors position, attitude, ionospheric charge density, and/or the Earth's magnetic field.


    Access

    Download


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Maintaining high-inclination eccentric orbit using an electrodynamic tether


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    2020-05-19


    Type of media :

    Patent


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English


    Classification :

    IPC:    B64G Raumfahrt , COSMONAUTICS



    Performance of Electrodynamic Tether Orbit Transfer System on the Orbit with Inclination

    Yamagiwa, Y. / Sakata, Y. / Hara, N. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2000



    ELECTRODYNAMIC TETHER ORBIT TRANSFER VEHICLE VOLTAGE VARIABILITY

    Statom, T. K. / AIAA | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2003



    An orbit transfer vehicle utilizing an electrodynamic tether

    Heinen, G. / Smith, F. / Santangelo, A. et al. | AIAA | 2000