Contact analysis of mobility devices using tether in microgravity environment

Abstract

A mobility system named TSMD has been proposed as new moving means under microgravity such as outer space. By winding tether that was extension, TSMD cause to move human. In this system that extend and wind tether under microgravity such as TSMD, contact force between the tether and the rigid body is expected to influence the motion of the system. Therefore, in this paper, the influence of contact force between a flexible body (tether) and slit that has elastic wall (outlet and inlet of tether) that gives the motion of the system is analyzed. The analytical model of the TSMD that moves in a two-dimensional plane was made and was simulated by changing the slit shape using this model. As a result, it was confirmed that the attitude control method focusing on rotational energy was effective under all conditions in which the shape of the slit at inlet was changed. In addition, it was confirmed that the shape of the slit affects the responsiveness of the control effect. Moreover, it was found that there are suitable slit shape that improves the responsiveness of the control effect.