STARS-II

Electrodynamic tether deployment experiment.

Electro Dynamic Tether (EDT) deployment by gravity gradient. EDT is deployed by initial velocity applied by the deployment springs, after stabilization of MS and DS attitude under the docking condition. And then, whole system can be stabilized by gravity gradient. Electrical current gathered by EDT. Electrons in space plasma are gathered by EDT which is a bare tether, and they are emitted from DS. As a result, electrical current is passed through EDT.

Attitude control by arm link motion based on tether tension due to gravity gradient. DS controls its attitude by arm link motion using tether tension (on EDT), which is applied by gravity gradient. Tether deployment and retrieval by tether tension control. EDT is connected to Kevlar tether at its end. By tension control of Kevlar tether by the reel, relative positions of MS and DS can be controlled.