Parametric Study of Deployment of Tethered Satellite Systems

Deployment of a tethered satellite system is the process of separating the two end bodies by spooling out the tether connecting them. In this paper, we describe a 3-D model of a tethered satellite system undergoing deployment. From the equations of motion obtained using the 3-D model, we identify five system parameters that affect the length to which a tethered satellite system will deploy. The equations of motion describing the tether deployment are solved for a given range of each of the parameters to determine the effect of each of the parameters on the level of deployment reached. The equations are then nondimensionalized; nondimensionalization reduces the number of system parameters from five to two and increases the generality of the equations of motion. The nondimensional equations of motion are solved numerically, and the results are presented in charts and plots that can be used by mission designers to predict the final deployed length under given operating conditions. Two case studies are presented to demonstrate the utility of these tools.