Expected On-orbit Tether Deployment Dynamics on the KITE Mission

Abstract

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has been investigating an active space debris removal system that employs highly efficient electrodynamic tether (EDT) technology for orbital transfer. To realize the active debris removal system, JAXA has scheduled its first attempt to demonstrate the EDT system by utilizing the on-orbit platform of the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV, Kounotori). These tests are to be called Kounotori Integrated Tether Experiments (KITE). One of the objectives of KITE is to reveal the characteristics of tether deployment dynamics. In this study, we have conducted on-ground experiments to obtain the key parameters related to tether deployment dynamics, such as deployment friction and braking force. Moreover, we have analyzed on-orbit tether deployment dynamics by means of numerical simulations using a multiple mass tether model. In the numerical simulations using the key parameters obtained from the experiments, a 700-m-long tether is deployed. In addition, the parametric evaluations are also conducted for investigating the influence of key parameters such as the ejection velocity and the deployment friction.