The effect of the elasticity of an orbital tether system on the oscillations of a satellite

An orbital tether system, including a satellite (a rigid body), an elastic ponderable tether and a terminal load, is investigated. A mathematical model is obtained using Lagrange's equation of the second kind, which enables the plane translational motion of the centres of mass of the elements of the system and the rotational motion of the satellite and the tether to be investigated. It is shown that the equations of motion for the new independent variable, that is, the true anomaly angle, obtained on the assumption that the motion of the centre of mass of the system is independent of the relative motion of its elements, are an extension of the known mathematical models. The effect of the elasticity of the tether on the angular oscillations of the tether and the satellite is investigated. The model constructed can be used both to analyse of the deployment of a tether system as well as to investigate of the combined behaviour of a satellite and a tether about the natural centres of mass.