Dynamic processes in the tether of a space tethered system

Abstracts In this work dynamical processes in the tether of а space tethered system are considered. The whole system is designed to “clean” orbits of space debris. The system consists of a «big» satellite moving along a circular or slightly elliptical orbit (orbital station or some satellite for orbital missions where fragments of space debris can be captured), two endmasses (counterweights, space debris hubs) and tethers between them. Containers (load) with space debris can be transported along the tethers. One of the main problems of stable working of the whole system is longitudinal and transverse wave propagation and vibrations of the tethers. The conditions on the system parameters are obtained for stable movement of the containers and the tethers. At these parameters the influence of dynamical processes is considered in this work.