NDLI: Dynamics of a 3D Rotating Tethered Formation Flying Facing the Earth

Content Provider	IEEE Xplore Digital Library
Author	Sabatini, M. Palmerini, G.B.
Copyright Year	2007
Description	Author affiliation: Univ. di Roma La Sapienza, Rome (Sabatini, M.; Palmerini, G.B.)
Abstract	Several on-going studies indicate interest in large, light orbiting structures, shaped like fishnets or webs: along the ropes of the web small spacecraft can move to position and relocate, at will, pieces of hardware devoted to specific missions.12 The presence of hard links adds the advantage of a simpler control strategy to the typical benefits of formation flying. Unfortunately, there is no stable configuration for an orbiting two dimensional web made by light, flexible tethers: in fact it cannot support compression forces caused by the gravity gradient. The proposed solution is to make use of centrifugal forces to pull the net, with a reduced number of simple thrusters located at the tips of the tethers to initially acquire the required spin. A sequence of simulations has been carried out to investigate the dynamic behavior of such a system. The numerical model adopted overlaps simpler elements, each of them given by a tether connecting two extreme bodies which accommodate the spinning thrusters. The combination of these "diameter-like" elements provides the web, shaped according to the specific requirements. The net is initially considered as rotating in the orbital plane, which is demonstrated to be the only configuration leading to a stable motion. However, as the earth-facing orientation can be of greater interest for earth observation and telecommunication missions, we have searched for a possible solution to stabilize the web. The solution has been identified by several authors with connecting two additional masses along the orbital radius, in a spinning double-pyramid configuration. Numerical analysis of the proper three dimensional web properties, namely spin rate and boom-to-corner mass ratio, is performed in this paper, showing regions where the structure satisfies the requirements both of earth-pointing accuracy and of shape integrity. Two kinds of motion are analyzed separately: the first one follows the conditions for relative equilibrium of a spinning axisymmetrical rigid body, which requires a non zero angle between the nadir direction and the spin axis; a number of different configurations for the central web have been proposed, highlighting the possible advantages. Stability has been proved also in the second case, namely zero off-nadir angle configurations, even though limited to a simplified orbital environment including the sole gravity gradient action. Extensive plots of the stable regions, considered as a useful baseline for more detailed mission design, are reported.
Starting Page	1
Ending Page	12
File Size	645287
Page Count	12
File Format	PDF
ISBN	1424405246
ISSN	1095323X
DOI	10.1109/AERO.2007.352671
Language	English
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
Publisher Date	2007-03-03
Publisher Place	USA
Access Restriction	Subscribed
Rights Holder	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
Subject Keyword	Earth Gravity Joining processes Spinning Space vehicles Hardware Shape control Lighting control Numerical models Numerical analysis
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Aerospace Engineering Space and Planetary Science

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
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9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in

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