Session
Technical Session IX: The Horizion-- New Small Satellite Missions or Sensors to Broaden Our Understanding of Space: Section II
Abstract
Tethers Unlimited, Inc (TUI) and Stanford University’s Space Systems Development Laboratory (SSDL) are collaboratively developing the Multi-Application Survivable Tether (MAST) experiment, which will obtain data on tether performance, survivability, and dynamics. This data is crucial to the development of operational tether systems for propellantless propulsion and deorbit, formation-flying, and momentum-exchange transportation applications. The first objective of the MAST experiment is to obtain detailed on-orbit data on the survivability of space tethers and other gossamer spacecraft structures in the micrometeorite/orbital (M/OD) debris environment. The MAST experiment will deploy three 1-kg Cube- Sats along a 1-km Hoytether that incorporates both conducting and nonconducting materials. The middle CubeSat will then slowly translate along the tether, inspecting the tether as it moves and returning data on the rate of damage to the tether by M/OD impacts. The second objective of the experiment will be to study the dynamics of tethered formations of spacecraft and rotating tether systems. This data is required to enable the validation of space tether simulation tools such as TetherSim and GTOSS. The third objective of the experiment will be to demonstrate momentum-exchange tether concepts. In this paper we will present results of initial design studies and analyses of MAST system dynamics and performance.
Presentation Slides
The Multi-Application Survivable Tether (MAST) Experiment
Tethers Unlimited, Inc (TUI) and Stanford University’s Space Systems Development Laboratory (SSDL) are collaboratively developing the Multi-Application Survivable Tether (MAST) experiment, which will obtain data on tether performance, survivability, and dynamics. This data is crucial to the development of operational tether systems for propellantless propulsion and deorbit, formation-flying, and momentum-exchange transportation applications. The first objective of the MAST experiment is to obtain detailed on-orbit data on the survivability of space tethers and other gossamer spacecraft structures in the micrometeorite/orbital (M/OD) debris environment. The MAST experiment will deploy three 1-kg Cube- Sats along a 1-km Hoytether that incorporates both conducting and nonconducting materials. The middle CubeSat will then slowly translate along the tether, inspecting the tether as it moves and returning data on the rate of damage to the tether by M/OD impacts. The second objective of the experiment will be to study the dynamics of tethered formations of spacecraft and rotating tether systems. This data is required to enable the validation of space tether simulation tools such as TetherSim and GTOSS. The third objective of the experiment will be to demonstrate momentum-exchange tether concepts. In this paper we will present results of initial design studies and analyses of MAST system dynamics and performance.
