Abstract AAS 97-602

AAS 97-602

DYNAMICS AND CONTROL OF A FLEXIBLE ATMOSPHERIC TETHER WITH A LIFTING PROBE

B.L. Biswell and J. Puig-Suari - Arizona State University

Abstract

Previous work by the authors studied the range of equilibrium positions achievable by an atmospheric tether system with a lifting probe in circular orbit. This paper studies the stability and controllability of this system about those equilibria using thrust and probe attachment point location as the control inputs. Results indicate that the system is unstable but controllable. Using a simplified model of the system, a linear controller is developed and verified using a high-order simulation. The control mechanism is very robust even when the effects of tether flexibility and elasticity are included.