Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS) Space Demonstration

The Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS) space experiment will demonstrate the use of an electrodynamic tether propulsion system. The flight experiment is a precursor to the more ambitious electrodynamic tether upper stage demonstration mission which will be capable of orbit raising, lowering and inclination changes-all using electrodynamic thrust. ProSEDS which is planned to fly in 2000, will use the flight proven Small Expendable C, Deployer System (SEDS) to deploy a tether (5 km bare wire plus 15 km spectra) from a Delta II upper stage to achieve approximately 0.4N drag thrust, thus deorbiting the stage. The experiment will use a predominantly 'bare' tether for current collection in lieu of endmass collector and insulated tether approach used on previous missions. ProSEDS will utilize tether-generated current to provide limited spacecraft power. In addition to the use of this technology to provide orbit transfer of payloads and upper stages from LEO to higher orbits it may also be an attractive option for future missions to Jupiter and any other planetary body with a magnetosphere

Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS) space experiment

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/76480/1/AIAA-1998-4035-142.pd

Electrodynamic Tether

A tether system for providing thrust to or power subsystems of an artificial satellite in a low earth orbit. The tether has three main sections, an insulated section connected to the satellite, a conducting section connected to the insulating section for drawing in and releasing electrons from the space plasma and a non-conducting section for providing a tension to the other sections of the tether. An oxygen resistant coating is applied to the bare wire of the conducting section as well as the insulated wires of the insulated section that prevents breakdown during tether operations in the space plasma. The insulated and bare wire sections also surround a high tensile flexible polymer core to prevent any debris from breaking the tether during use

Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS)

The Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (ProSEDS) space experiment will demonstrate the use of an electrodynamic tether propulsion system to generate thrust in space by decreasing the orbital altitude of a Delta II Expendable Launch Vehicle (ELV) second stage. ProSEDS, which is planned to fly in 2001, will use the flight proven Small Expendable Deployer System (SEDS) to deploy a tether (5km bare wire plus 10 km spectra or dyneema) from a Delta II second stage to achieve approximately 0.4N drag thrust. ProSEDS will utilize the tether-generated current to provide limited spacecraft power. The ProSEDs instrumentation includes a Langmuir probe and Differential Ion Flux Probe, which will determine the characteristics of the ambient ionospheric plasma. Two Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers will be used (one on the Delta and one on the endmass) to help determine tether dynamics and to limit transmitter operations to occasions when the spacecraft is over selected ground stations, The flight experiment is a precursor to the more ambitious electrodynamic tether upper stage demonstration mission, which will be capable of orbit raising, lowering and inclination changes-all using electrodynamic thrust. An immediate application of ProSEDS technology is for the deorbit of spent satellites for orbital debris mitigation. In addition to the use of this technology to provide orbit transfer and debris mitigation it may also be an attractive option for future missions to Jupiter and any other planetary body with a magnetosphere