Abstract
This paper explains a design of an electrodynamic tether system for a pico-satellite, which Laboratory for Space Systems at Tokyo Institute of Technology plans to develop and to demonstrate. The system is aimed at mitigating the problem of orbital debris by enabling small satellites to deorbit by themselves. By conducting simulation study, use of air drag for satellite disposal is found to be ineffective for tiny satellites while use of an electrodynamic tether is likely to applicable. Simulation shows the current necessary to reenter a satellite within 25years is about 1mA, which the carbon-nanotube electron emitter being developed by the authors can emit with gate voltage of 600V. Reduction of gate voltage will be one of future works. A brief description of part of the satellite system relevant to the demonstration of electrodynamic tether is given.
