Dynamics of the Space Tug System with a Short Tether

<div>The tensional (<svg height="8.38559pt" id="M264" style="vertical-align:-0.04980946pt" version="1.1" viewbox="-0.0498162 -8.33578 6.45439 8.38559" width="6.45439pt" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path d="M389 0V32C297 38 291 46 291 118V635C234 613 175 595 109 583V556L161 554C203 552 207 547 207 497V118C207 46 201 38 110 32V0H389Z" id="g50-50"></path><glyph.data ascent="3443" descent="-2856" horiz-adv-x="487" vert-adv-y="487"></glyph.data></g></svg>) and tensionless (0) states, the elongation of the tether (Δ), and the distance between two spacecraft (<svg height="9.49473pt" id="M265" style="vertical-align:-0.2063999pt" version="1.1" viewbox="-0.0498162 -9.28833 3.63583 9.49473" width="3.63583pt" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path d="M238 675C244 702 241 710 231 710C220 710 155 682 74 673L70 643H101C147 643 151 635 142 594L39 111C18 11 36 -12 55 -12C89 -12 170 38 223 103L207 129C176 98 130 68 118 68C113 68 108 72 114 102L238 675Z" id="g50-109"></path><glyph.data ascent="3443" descent="-2856" horiz-adv-x="271" vert-adv-y="271"></glyph.data></g></svg>) during deorbiting.</div>

International Journal of Aerospace Engineering

Dynamics of the Space Tug System with a Short Tether

Figure 7