Seminar Report

Electrodynamic Tethers

ABSTRACT
Electrodynamic (ED) tether is a long conducting wire extended from
spacecraft. It has a strong potential for providing propellant less propulsion to
spacecraft in low earth orbit. An electrodynamic Tether uses the same principle
as electric motor in toys, appliances and computer disk drives. It works as a
thruster, because a magnetic field exerts a force on a current carrying wire. The
magnetic field is supplied by the earth. By properly controlled the forces
generated by this electrodynamic tether can be used to pull or push a
spacecraft to act as brake or a booster. NASA plans to lasso energy from Earths
atmosphere with a tether act as part of first demonstration of a propellant-free
space propulsion system, potentially leading to a revolutionary space
transportation system. Working with Earths magnetic field would benefit a
number of spacecraft including the International Space Station. Tether
propulsion requires no fuel. Is completely reusable and environmentally clean
and provides all these features at low cost.

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CONTENTS
1 REVIEW OF EXISTING ROCKET PROPULSION MECHANISM
2 INTRODUCTION
3 HISTORY OF SPACE TETHERS
4 PRICIPLE
5 WORKING
6 STABILIZATION OF ELECTRODYNAMIC TETHERS
7 ED TETHERS APPLICATION
8 ADVANTAGES
9 WHY TETHERS WIN
10 CONCLUSION AND FUTURE SCOPE
11 REFERENCE

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1. REVIEW OF EXISTING PROPULSION

MECHANISM
The existing rocket propulsion mechanism derives energy from rocket fuels.
The rocket fuel is burnt inside a chamber and gas produced due to combustion
is expelled out through a nozzle, which produces the upward thrust for rockets
or spacecrafts.
The currently available rocket fuels are in solid liquid and as from Hydrogen
peroxide is one of the commonly used rocket fuels. Cold gas is another gaseous
propellant. The disadvantage of these rocket fuels is that it produces low thrust.
Kerosene (liquid oxygen and kerosene) is a liquid propellant. The liquid fuel
requires cryogenic systems for their implementation. The combustion of these
fuels produces toxic gases, which are expelled to the space to obtain the
required thrust. There are several disadvantages in dealing with liquid
propulsion systems. Spills or leaks or several hazardous problems occur in it.
Usually requires more volume due to lower average propellant density and the
relatively inefficient. Thus it creates pollution in the outer space. The system
that use solid fuels are unregulated. They produce lower thrust also.
Nuclear energy can be used as a propellant. But it produces radiations, which
are very harmful. These radiations can penetrate the atmosphere and affect the
human kind and other living things. The effect of nuclear radiations lasts for
years that can jeopardize life on earth. So the use of nuclear propulsion
technique is very risky. An electrodynamic tether with its unique features put
forward a better option for propulsion of rockets and spacecrafts.
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2. INTRODUCTION
Satellites have a major part to play in the present communication system. These
satellites are launched with the help of rockets. Typically a payload will placed
by a rocket in to Low Earth Orbit or LEO (around 400 km) and then boosted
higher by rocket thrusters. But just transporting a satellite from the lower orbit
to its eventual destination can to several thousand dollars per kilogram of
payload. To cut expenses space experts are reconsidering the technology used
to place payload in their final orbits.
There are over eight thousand satellites and other large objects in orbit around
the Earth, and there are countless smaller pieces of debris generated by
spacecraft explosions between satellites. Until recently it has been standard
practices to put a satellite in to and leave it there. However the number of
satellites has grown quickly, and as a result, the amount of orbital debris is
growing rapidly. Because this debris is traveling at orbital speed (78km/s), it
poses a significant threat to the space shuttle, the International Space Station
and the many satellites in Earth orbit.
One method of removing a satellite from orbit would be to carry extra
propellant so that the satellite can bring itself down out of orbit. However this
method requires a large mass of propellant and every kilo of propellant that
must be carried up reduces the weight available for revenue-producing
transponders. Moreover this requires that the rocket and satellites guidance
systems must be functional after sitting in orbit for ten years or more.

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What can, without rockets, deploy satellite to Earth-orbit or fling them in to

deep space, can generate electrical power in space, can then catch and eliminate
space junk? String! Sounds impossible, but the development in space-tethers
may be as significant to future space development as rockets were to its
beginnings.
Called an electrodynamic tether provides a simple and reliable alternative to the
conventional rocket thrusters. Electrodynamic tethers work by virtue of the
force a magnetic field exerts on a current carrying wire. In essence, it is a clever
way of getting an electric current to flow in a long conducting wire that is
orbiting Earth, so that earths magnetic field will exerts a force on and
accelerate the wire and hence any payload attached to it. By reversing the
direction of current in it, the same tether can be used to deorbit old satellites.

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3. HISTORY OF SPACE TETHERS

While space-based tethers have been studied theoretically since in the 20 th
century, it wasnt until 1947 that Giuseppe Colombo came up with the idea of
using a long tether to support a satellite System (TSS) to investigate plasma
physics and the generation of electricity in the upper atmosphere.Up until the
TSS the use of tethers in space has been limited. The best-known applications
are the tethers that connect spacewalking astronauts to their spacecraft.
Astronauts can work and fly free of the Space Shuttle using the Manned
Maneuvering Unit (MMU), but for most work activities in the Shuttle payload
bay (and during the assembly of the International Space Station) astronauts still
use a safety tether.
However, spacewalk tethers are very short and are not stabilized by
gravitational forces. The TSS-IR mission and rocket-launched experiments,
such as the SMALL expendable Deployer System (SEDS) and the Plasma
Motor Generator (PMG), have increased our understanding of the way tethers
behave in space. Each used different types of tether to deploy satellites and
conduct

research,

demonstrating

usefulness of tether technology.

Fig..History of tether

the

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4.PRINCIPLE
The basic principle of an electrodynamic tether is Lorentz force. It is the force
that a magnetic field exerts on a current carrying wire in a direction
perpendicular to both the direction of current flow and the magnetic field
vector.
The Dutch physicist Hendrik Androon Lorentz showed that a moving electric
charge experiences a force in a magnetic field. (if the charge is at rest, there will
not be any force on it due to magnetic field ) Hence it is clear that the force
experienced by a current conductor in a magnetic field is due to the drifting of
electrons in it. If a current I flows through a conductor of cross-section A then
I = neAv

where v is the drift speed of electronics n is number density in the

conductor and e the electronic charge.

For an element dI of the conductor
Id = nAdIev
But Adi is the volume of the current element. Therefore, nAdI represents the
number (N) of electrons in the element
Hence, nAdIe = Ne = q, the total charge in the element.
Therefore, IdI = qv
But, the force dF on a current carrying element dI in a magnetic field B is given
by
dF = IdIB

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i.e.,dF = qvB
This fundamental force on a charge q moving with a velocity v in a magnetic
field B is called the Magnetic Lorentz Force.

4.1 Lorentz Force Low

The Lorentz Force Low can be used to describe the effect of a charged particle
moving in a constant magnetic field. The simplest form of this low given by the
scalar equation
F = QvB
F is the force acting on the particle (vector)
V is the velocity of the particle (vector)
Q is charge of particle (scalar)
B is magnetic field (vector)
NOTE: this case is for v and B perpendicular to each other otherwise use F =
QvB (sin (X) ) where X is the angle between v and B, when v and B are
perpendicular X =90 deg. So sin (x) =1.
Flemings left hand rule comes in to play here to figure out which way the force
is acting

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4.2 Flemings Left Hand Rules

For a charged particle moving (velocity v) in a magnetic field (field B) the
direction of the resultant force (force F) can be found by
MIDDLE FINGER of left hand in direction of CURRENT
INDEX FINGER of left hand in direction of FIELD. B
THUMB now points in direction of the FORCE OR MOTION. F
The force will always be perpendicular to the plane of vector v and B no matter
what the angle between v and B is. Just pretend the following picture is.

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5. WORKING
An electrodynamic tether is essentially a long conducting wire extended
from a space craft. The electrodynamic tether is made from aluminium alloy
and typically between 5 and 20 kilometers long. It extends downwards from
an orbiting platform. Aluminium alloy is used since it is strong, lightweight,
inexpensive and easily machined.
The gravity gradient field (also known as tidal force) will tend to orient the
tether in a vertical position. If the tether is orbiting around the Earth, it will be
crossing the earths magnetic field lines orbital velocity (7-8 km/s). The motion
of the conductor across the magnetic field induces a voltage along the length of
the tether. This voltage can up to several hundred volts per kilometer.

In the above figure the sphere represents the Earth and the unbroken lines
represents Earths magnetic field. The broken line is LEO. As shown in the
figure there is a drag force experienced in the wire in a direction perpendicular
to the current and magnetic field vector.

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In an electrodynamic tether drag system such as the terminator Tether, the

tether can be used to reduce the orbit of the spacecraft to which it is attached. If
the system has a means for collecting electrons from the ionospheric plasma at
one end of the tether and expelling them back in to the plasma at the other end
of the tether, the voltage can drive a current along the tether. This current bill, in
turn, interact with the Earths magnetic field to cause a Lorentz JXB force,
which will oppose the motion of the tether and whatever it is attached to. This
electrodynamics drag force will decrease the orbit of the tether and its host
spacecraft. Essentially, the tether converts the orbital energy of the host
spacecraft in to electrical power, which is dissipated as ohmic heating in the
tether.

Fig2. Principle of
electrodynamic
tether propulsion
In

an

electrodynamic
propulsion system,
the tether can be
used to boost the
orbit

of

spacecraft.

the
If

power supply is added to the tether system and used to drive current in the
direction opposite to that which it normally wants to flow, the tether can push
against the Earths magnetic field to raise the spacecrafts orbit. The major
advantage of this technique compared to the other space propulsion system is
that it doesnt require any propellant. It uses Earths magnetic field as its
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reaction mass. By eliminating the need to launch large amounts of propellant

in to orbit, electrodynamic tethers can greatly reduce the cost of in-space
propulsion
The tether is dragged through the atmospheres ionosheric plasma. The rarefied
medium of electrons through which the whole set up is traveling at a speed of
7-8km/s. In so doing, the 5-km. long aluminium wire extracts electrons from
the plasma at the end farthest from the payload and carries them to the near end
(plasma chamber tests have verified that thin bare wires can collect current
from plasma). There a specially designed devise known as a hollow cathode
emitter expels the electrons, to ensure their return to space currents in the
circuit.
Ordinarily, a uniform magnetic field acting on a current-bearing loop of wire
yields a net force of zero, since that cancels the force on one side of the loop on
the other side, in which the current is flowing in the opposite direction
However, since the tethered system is not mechanically attached to the plasma.
The magnetic force on the plasma current in the space does not cancel the
forces on the tether. And so the tether experiences a net force.
As the tether cuts across the magnetic field, its bias voltage is positive at the
end farthest from Earth and negative at the near end. This polarization is due to
the action of Lorentz force on the electrons in the tether. Thus the natural
upward current flow due to the (negatively charged) electrons in the ionosphere
being attracted to the tethers far and then returned to the plasma at the near end.
Aided by the hollow cathode emitter. The hollow cathode is vital: without it,
the wires charge distribution would quickly reach equilibrium and no current
would flows.

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Switching on the hollow cathode causes a small tungsten tube to heat up and
fill with xenon gas from small tank. Electrons from the tether interacted with
the heated gas to create ion plasma. At the far end of the tube. a so called
keeper electrode, which is positively charged with respect to the tube. Draw the
electrons and expels them to space. (the xenon ions, mean while are collected
by the hollow cathode and used to provide additional heating). The rapid
discharge of electrons invites new electrons to follow from the tether and out
through the hollow cathode. Earths magnetic field exerts a drag force on a
current carrying tether, decelerating it and the payload and rapidly lowering
their orbit Eventually they re-enter Earths atmosphere.

6. STABILIZATION OF ELECTRODYNAMIC
TETHERS

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Electrodynamic tethers have strong potential for providing propellantless

propulsion to spacecraft in low-earth orbit for application such as satellite
deorbit, orbit boosting and station keeping. However electridynmic tethers are
inherently unstable. When a tether in an orbit carries a current along its length,
the interaction of the tether with the geometric field creates a force on the tether
that is directed perpendicular to the tether. The summation of these force along
the length of the tether can produce a net propulsive force on the tether system,
raising or lowering its orbit. The tether however is not a rigid rod held above or
below the spacecraft it is a very long thin cable and has little or no flexural
rigidity. The transverse electrodynamic forces therefore cause the tether to bow
and to swing away from the local vertical. Gravity gradient forces produces a
restoring force that pulls the tether back towards the local vertical but this
results in a pendulum-like motion. Because the direction of the geomagnetic
field varies as the tether orbits the Earth the direction and magnitude of the
electrodynamic forces also varies and so this pendulum motion develops in to
complex librations in both the in-plane and out-of-plane direction. Due to
coupling between the in-plane motion and iongitudinal elastic oscillations as
well as coupling between in-plane and out-cf-plane motions an electrodynamic
tether operated at a constant current will continually add energy to the libration
motions, causing the libration amplitudes to build until the tether begins
rotating or oscillating wildly In addition orbital variations in the strength and
magnitude of the electrodynamic force will drive transverse higher order
oscillations in the tether which can lead to the unstable growth of Skip-rope
modes.
Two new control schemes are developed to provide the ability to prevent the
unstable growth of librations transverse oscillations and skip rope modes. These
feedback control schemes requires as input penodic measurements of the

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locations of the tether end mass and/or several points along the tether. The
feedback algorithm calculates a gain factor based upon the network that the
electrodynamic forces will perform on the tether dynamics. The feedback is
performed by varying the current in the tether system slightly according to the
calculated gain factor.
A tether system deployed in orbit around the Earth will be pulled by gravity
gradient forces towards an equilibrium configurations oriented along the local
vertical. In an electrodynamic tether system, illustrated conceptually in figure
currents in the tether flowing across the planetary magnetic field will generate
JXB forces acting in a direction perpendicular to both the magnetic field and
the tether. These forces will push the tether away from the local vertical
orientation.

The first requires periodic measurements of the locations of several points

along the tether. This algorithm is referred to as the Tether configuration
feedback method. The second algorithm requires only periodic measurements
of the acceleration of the tether end mass. This algorithm is referred to as the
Endmass Acceleration feedback method. These stabilization algorithm forms

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the heart of the Electrodynamic Tether Stabilization System (EDTS) which will
enable electrodynamic tethers to provide long-term propellantless propulsions
while maintaining tether stability and efficiency.

7. ED TETHER APPLICATION
7.1 propellant less propulsion for LEO spacecraft:
ED tether system can provide propellant less propulsion for spacecraft
operating in low Earth orbit. Because the tether system does not consume
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propellant, it can provide very large delta-Vs with a very small total mass
dramatically reduce the cost for missions that involve delta-V hungry
maneuvers such as formation flying low-altitude station keeping orbit raising
and end-of-mission deorbit. TUI is developing several ED tether products
including the PET Propulsion System and Terminator Tether Satellite Deorbit
Device.

a.The PET Propulsion System:

Propellantless Electrodynamic Tether Propulsion for
Microsatellites

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TUI is currently developing a propulsion system called the "Microsatellite

Propellantless Electrodynamic Tether (PET) Propulsion System" that will
provide propulsive capabilities to microsatellites and other small spacecraft
without consuming propellant.

Fig.. The microPET Propulsion System concept of Fig.. Deployment test of the microPET
operations.

tether.

Electrodynamic tethers can provide long-term propellantless propulsion

capability for orbital maneuvering and stationkeeping of small satellites in lowEarth-orbit. The PET Propulsion System is a small, low-power
electrodynamic tether system designed to provide long-duration boost, deboost,
inclination change, and stationkeeping propulsion for small satellites. Because
the system uses electrodynamic interactions with the Earth's magnetic field to
propel the spacecraft, it does not require consumption of propellant, and thus
can provide long-duration operation and large total delta-V capability with low
mass requirements. Furthermore, because the PET system does not require
propellant, it can easily meet stringent safety requirements such as are imposed
upon Shuttle payloads. In addition, the tether system can also serve as a

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gravity-gradient attitude control element, reducing the ACS requirements of the

spacecraft.

Characteristics:
The mass, size, and power requirements of the PET Propulsion System
depends upon the size of the satellite and the propulsive mission. TUI has
developed a prototpye of a PET sized for a 125 kg microsatellite which
could raise the orbit of this satellite from a 350 km drop-off orbit to a 700 km
operational orbit within 50 days.

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b.The Terminator Tether Satellite Deorbit System:

Low-Cost, Low-Mass End-of-Mission Disposal for Space Debris
Mitigation

Fig.C
oncept of operations of the Terminator Tether.

Fig.. The Terminator Tether Deployer.

Tethers Unlimited Inc. is currently developing a system called the Terminator

Tether that will provide a low-cost, lightweight, and reliable method of
removing objects from low-Earth-orbit (LEO) to mitigate the growth of orbital
debris.
The Terminator Tether is a small device that uses electrodynamic tether drag
to deorbit a spacecraft. Because it uses passive electromagnetic interactions
with the Earth's magnetic field to lower the orbit of the spacecraft, it requires
neither propellant nor power. Thus it can achieve autonomous deorbit of a
spacecraft with very low mass requirements.

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Concept of operations:
Before the spacecraft is launched, the Terminator Tether is bolted onto the
satelite. While the satellite is operational, the tether is wound on a spool, and
the device is dormant, waking up periodically to check the status of the
spacecraft and listen for activation commands. When the Terminator Tether
receives a command to deorbit the spacecraft, it deploys a 5 kilometer long
tether below the spacecraft. This tether interacts with the ionospheric plasma
and the geomagnetic field to produce currents running along the tether, and
these currents in turn cause forces on the tether that lower the orbit of the
tethered spacecraft. Over a period of several weeks or months, the Terminator
Tether will reduce the orbital altitude of the spacecraft until it vaporizes in
the upper atmosphere.

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7.2 Electrodynamic Reboost of the International Space Station:

The International Space Station is the largest and most complex international
scientific project in history. And when it is complete just after the turn of the
century, the station will represent a move of unprecedented scale off the home
planet Led by the United States the International Space Station draws upon the
scientific and technological resources of 16 nations Canada, Japan, Russia. 11
nations of the European Space Agency and Brazil.
Its construction started at 1998 November 20 when Russia launched Zarya
control module. More than four times as large as the Russian Mir space station
the completed International Space Station will have a mass of about 1,040,000
pounds. It will measure 356 feet across and 290 feet long with almost an acre of
solar panels to provide electrical power to 6 State-of-the-art laboratories. The
station will be in an orbit with an altitude of 250 statute miles with an
inclination of 51.6 degrees. This orbit allows the station to be reached by the
launch vehicles of all the international partners to provide a robust capability
for the delivery of crews and supplies. The orbit also provides excellent Earth
observations with coverage of 85% of the globe and over flight of 95% of the
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population. By the end of this year about 500,000 pounds of station

components will have been built at factories around the world.
Research in the station six laboratories will lead to discoveries in medicine,
materials and fundamental science that will benefit people all over the world.
Through its research and technology, the station will serve as an indispensable
step in preparation for future human space exploration.
Examples of the types of U.S. research that will be performed abroad the
station include:
Protein crystal studies
Tissue culture
Life in low gravity
Flames, fluids and metal in space
The nature of space
Watching the Earth
Commercialization
The international Space station (ISS) will experience a small but constant
aerodynamic drag force as it moves through the thin upper reaches of the
Earths atmosphere. This drag force will cause the stations orbit to decay. If
nothing were done to counteract this, the station would fall out of orbit with in
several months. NASA currently plans to launch several rockets every year to
carry fuel up to the station so that it can reboots its orbit. These launches
however, will be very costly. Tether unlimited, Inc. has helped NASA to
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explore the potential for using Electrodynamic tether propulsion to maintain the
orbit of the ISS. By using excess power generated by the ISSs solar panels to
drive current through a conducting tether, a tether reboots system could
counteract the drag forces or even raise the stations orbit. NASA and TUIs
studies revealed that such a tether reboots system could reduce or eliminate the
need for dedicated launches for reboots propellant. Potentially saving up to $2
billion over the first ten years of the stations operation.

7.3 Power Generation in Low Earth Orbit:

Electrodynamic tethers may also provide an economical means of electrical
power in orbit. Essentially, the tether can be used to convert some of the
spacecrafts Orbital energy in to electrical power. However, since converting
the orbital energy in to electrical power will lower the orbit of the spacecraft
(theres no such thin as a free launch), this technique is probably only useful for
providing high power energy bursts to short-duration experiments.

7.4 Space junk cleanup:

Illustration of how an electrodynamic tether with attached "space sheepdog" would work.

Space junk is a big problem. There is nearly 2000 tonnes of space debris
orbiting the earth. Pieces of derelict spacecraft, bits of launch vehicles and even
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tiny flecks of paint are orbiting the earth at tens of thousand of kilometres per
hour causing huge damage whenever they impact on spacecraft or satellites.
Scientists are trying to predict the orbits of all the rubbish so that companies
launching satellites or spacecrafts know their vehicle will be out of danger but
could the future involve clearing up the mess by using tethers attached to
space sheepdogs .The most direct application of electrodynamic tether would
be to get rid of space junk. Over the past half century of space exploration, the
region around Earth has become cluttered with debris, which could take years,
and in some cases centuries, to fall from orbit. The danger is that old satellite
and rocket stages and trash thrown overboard by early space shuttles and
orbiting space station.
One method of removing a satellite from orbit would be to carry extra
propellant so that the satellite can bring itself down out of orbit. However. This
method requires a large mass of propellant, and every kilo of propellant that
must be carried up reduces the weight available for revenue-producing
transponders. Moreover this requires that the rocket and satellite guidance
system must be functional after sitting in orbit for 10 years or more. Often this
is not the case, and the satellite ends up stuck in its operational orbit. Some
organisations are currently planning on boosting their satellite to higher.
graveyard orbits at the end of their mission. This also required that the
satellites power, propulsion and guidance be working at the end of the
satellites mission. Moreover, it doesnt really solve the problem it just delays
it. Somewhat like a toxic waste dump. Recent studies have shown that satellites
left in a higher graveyard orbit will slowly break apart down to lower altitudes.
Thus satellites boosted to higher disposal orbits will eventually endanger
operational satellites. Moreover, once the old satellites fragment in to smaller
particles, it will be nearly impossible to clean up the debris. Consequently, it

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will be much more cost effective in the long run to deal with the problem
properly from the start. And deorbit all old spacecraft.
Using a tether to deorbit would be inherently more reliable. ED tethers
are much lighter are more compact than conventional thrusters: a tether system
would account for as little as 2% of the satellites total weight and could be
easily bolted to the satellites. Once the end of the satellites useful life is
reached. The tether would unreel, and the tether-driven orbital decay.

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8. ADVANTAGES
The operational advantages of electrodynamic tethers of moderate length are
becoming evident from studies of collision avoidance. Although long tethers (of
order of 10 kilometers) provide high efficiency and good adaptability to
varying plasma conditions, boosting tethers of moderate length (~1 kilometer)
and suitable design might still operate at acceptable efficiencies and adequate
adaptability to a changing environment.
ED tethers used for propulsion in low-Earth orbit and beyond could
significantly reduce the weight of upper stages used to boost spacecraft to
higher orbit. Much of the weight of any launch vehicle is the propellant and It
is expensive to lift heavy propellants off the ground.
Since ED tethers require no propellant, they could substantially reduce the
weight of the spacecraft and provide a cost effective method of reboosting
spacecraft, such as the International Space Station (ISS)

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9. WHY TETHERS WIN

Normal Launch from ground
Circular velocity is about 8km/s at Low Earth Orbit (LEO). You loose around
2km/s from drag and climb. You get around 0.5km from the spin of the Earth.
So 2 rocket has to provide a Delta-V about 9.5km/s. You need to circularize
your orbit which means firing the engine again about 45 minutes after launch.
This restart of the engine only needs to provide about 0.1 to 1.15 km/s
depending upon the altitude of the orbit.

Air Launch from 20 km to tether at 100 km altitude

We need to be doing about 5 km/s when we get to the end of the tether. We
loose about 0.5km/s from climbing from 20 km to 100 km and air drag. We get
about 0.5km/s from spin of Earth. There is no need to circularize the orbit as
the tether has a big ballast mass and is in orbit. Net is rocket needs to provide a
delta-V of about 5 km/s.

What happened?
The orbital velocity at 100 km high is 7.5 km/s but the centre of mass of the
tether is at 600km high (so 500km from tip to centre of mass) the orbital
velocity is 7.56km/s. We have saved 0.29km/s already.

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Our final design uses a tether tip speed of 2.5km/s relative to the centre of
mass. So relative to the centre of Earth it is moving about 5.06km/s(7.56-2.5).
Between the two we are 2.79(2.5+0.29) km/s below orbital speed at 100 km
We get about 0.5 km/s from the rotational speed of the earth and so only need
4.s km/s after altitude and drag loss. Starting from 20 km high we dont loose
so much to drag. Our air launch will gives us a running start, perhaps 0.2 km/s.
Reduced air pressure enables a more efficient rocket engine.

What is the result?

We need around the half the Delta-V. We needed a two-stage before but we only
need one stage rocket now. It is right to think of it as only being the second
stage. The first stage could have 5-10 times as large as the second stage, so we
have saved a lot.

Mass production
Another big savings is due to expected mass production or re-usability. Because
we have a large number of small rockets, instead of usual few big rockets, we
can use assembly line methods. Even better, because we only go halfway to
orbit, making a re-usable single stage vehicle is comparatively easy.

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10. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE SCOPE

Satellite Tugboat
Another idea is for the ED tether to be attached to an unmanned space
tugboat that would ferry satellites to higher orbits. After being launched in to
low Earth orbit, the so called Orbital Transfer Vehicle would grapple the
satellite and maneuver it to a new altitude or inclination. The tug could then
lower its own orbit to rendezvous with another payload and repeat and repeat
the process.

Exploring the outer planets

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Perhaps the most exotic use if ED tether technology would be to propel and
power spacecraft exploring the outer planets. Existing vessels have relied on
solar cells, but at distances far from the Sun, the power available is typically
favourable to ED tethers: The planet has a strong magnetic field moving much
faster than the spacecraft the tether would essentially be stealing energy from
the planets magnetic field.
In theory tether could power the crafts instruments and generates thrust at one
and the same time. For a circular orbit close to the planet tether propulsive
forces have been calculated to be as high as 50 N and power levels as high as
1MW. This level of power would sustain a whole new suite of science
instruments such as high-power radarbut it also means having to deal with
power conversion, energy dissipation, and tether overheating
Tethers are an exciting area of space research with many possible applications.
Soon they may become common, replacing conventional deployment
technologies, and improving access to space.

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Seminar Report

Electrodynamic Tethers

11. REFERENCE:

IEEE spectrum. July 2000

www.tethers.com
www.tuiengineering.com
www.google.com
www.ieee spectrum.org.

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