Tether as a dynamic transmission line

Abstract

The effect of longitudinal impulses on a satellite when a continuum tether from the Shuttle or Space Station is included is investigated. It is demonstrated that, taking the continuum nature of the tether into account, the sharp onset of a forcing impulse at the Shuttle end is perceived on board the satellite. The magnitude of the satellite response is diminished from that of the forcing impulse, and the response exhibits a broadened exponential tailoff. These are due primarily to the coupling between the tether and the satellite and its influence on an impinging impulsive wave, and not on the whole system as in the spring-mass model. The full impulse response function can be quite complex, showing repeated impulses as the tether wave bounces back and forth between the satellite and Shuttle, and having a different shape at each impingement on the satellite.