Material collected from an asteroid's surface can be used to increase gravitational attraction between the asteroid and a Gravity Tractor (GT); the spacecraft therefore operates more effectively and is referred to as an Enhanced Gravity Tractor (EGT). The use of tethers and solar sails to further improve effectiveness and simplify operations is investigated. By employing a tether, the asteroidal material can be placed close to the asteroid while the spacecraft is stationed farther away, resulting in a better safety margin and improved thruster efficiency. A solar sail on a spacecraft can naturally provide radial offset and inter-spacecraft separation required for multiple EGTs.
Towing Asteroids with Gravity Tractors Enhanced by Tethers and Solar Sails
2015
12 pages
Report
No indication
English
Space Technology , Astronomy & Astrophysics , Extraterrestrial Exploration , Asteroids , Towing , Solar sails , Solar radiation , Radiation pressure , Tethering , Tractors , Gravitation , In situ resource utilization , Asteroid collisions , Threat evaluation , Risk management , Technology assessment
Spacecraft Solar Sails Containing Electrodynamic Tethers
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