Space debris has become an increasingly larger concern for aerospace travel and exploration. One idea to control the space debris population is to de-orbit defunct satellites using a space tether system. A space tether system is often made up of three parts: the main satellite, the tether and the sub-satellite. The tether connects the main satellite and the sub-satellite. Space tether systems make use of the Lorentz force as an electrodynamic drag for de-orbit. We use an established model of a space tether system to observe how satellites de-orbit. This model was constructed in MATLAB (Simulink) and uses the 1976 U.S. Standard Atmosphere. However, we wish to investigate how the model behaves using newer and more accurate atmospheric models, namely, the Jacchia-Bowman 2008 model and the Drag Temperature Model 2013. We also investigate the effect of controlling the tether's libration energy under the three aforementioned atmospheric models.

The annual report covers the research conducted on the following topics related to the use of spaceborne tethers for in-space transportation: ProSEDS tether modeling (current collection analyses, influence of a varying tether temperature); proSEDS mission analysis and system dynamics (tether thermal model, thermo-electro-dynamics integrated simulations); proSEDS-tether development and testing (tether requirements, deployment test plan, tether properties testing, deployment tests); and tethers for reboosting the space-based laser (mission analysis, tether system preliminary design, evaluation of attitude constraints). Lorenzini, Enrico and Estes, Robert D. and Cosmo, Mario L. Marshall Space Flight Center TETHERING; AIR TRANSPORTATION; MODELS; DYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS; MANUFACTURING; DESIGN ANALYSIS; DATA MANAGEMENT; TEMPERATURE EFFECTS; SIMULATION; LASERS; TETHERLINES...

Rigid Body Dynamics for Space Applications explores the modern problems of spaceflight mechanics, such as attitude dynamics of re-entry and space debris in Earth's atmosphere; dynamics and control of coaxial satellite gyrostats; deployment, dynamics, and control of a tether-assisted return mission of a re-entry capsule; and removal of large space debris by a tether tow. Most space systems can be considered as a system of rigid bodies, with additional elastic and viscoelastic elements and fuel residuals in some cases. This guide shows the nature of the phenomena and explains the behavior of space objects. Researchers working on spacecraft attitude dynamics or space debris removal as well as those in the fields of mechanics, aerospace engineering, and aerospace science will benefit from this book. - Provides a complete treatise of modeling attitude for a range of novel and modern attitude control problems of spaceflight mechanics - Features chapters on the application of rigid body dynamics to atmospheric re-entries, tethered assisted re-entry, and tethered space debris removal - Shows relatively simple ways of constructing mathematical models and analytical solutions describing the behavior of very complex material systems - Uses modern methods of regular and chaotic dynamics to obtain results

This book covers comprehensive text and reference work on atmospheric models for methods of numerical modeling and important related areas of data assimilation and predictability. It incorporates various aspects of environmental computer modeling including an historical overview of the subject, approximations to land surface and atmospheric physics and dynamics, radiative transfer and applications in satellite remote sensing, and data assimilation. With individual chapters authored by eminent professionals in their respective topics, Advanced Topics in application of atmospheric models try to provide in-depth guidance on some of the key applied in atmospheric models for scientists and modelers.