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Coupled attitude-vibration analysis of an E-sail using absolute nodal coordinate formulation

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A Correction to this article was published on 11 February 2022

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Abstract

In this study, the effects of solar wind on an electric sail (E-sail) are modeled and analyzed using an absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF). First, the thrust of the charged metal tether that makes up the E-sail was analyzed and a model was established. Numerical simulations of a single metal tether were performed. Then, an overall E-sail model was established using the connection matrix, and E-sails subjected to different angular velocities were compared. Simulation results of the ANCF model and a dumbbell model were compared at different angular velocities. The results confirm that with a relatively high angular velocity, the flexible metal chain can be approximately regarded as a rigid body. However, with a small angular velocity, the flexibility of the metal chain cannot be ignored.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported, in part, by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC, Nos. 11672093, U1737207, and 11702072). It was also supported by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation under Grant No. 2017M611372, and by the Heilongjiang Postdoctoral Fund under Grant No. LBH-Z16082.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Astronautics, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China

    Ce Zhao, Mingying Huo, Shilei Cao & Naiming Qi

  2. Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90007, USA

    Ji Qi

  3. Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, Shanghai, 201109, China

    Dongfang Zhu, Lujun Sun & Hongli Sun

Authors
  1. Ce Zhao
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  2. Mingying Huo
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  3. Ji Qi
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  4. Shilei Cao
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  5. Dongfang Zhu
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  6. Lujun Sun
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  7. Hongli Sun
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  8. Naiming Qi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mingying Huo.

Additional information

Ce Zhao received his B.S. degree of engineering from Harbin Institute of Technology, China, in 2019. Currently, he is a postgraduate student of Harbin Institute of Technology. His current research interests are dynamics and orbit control of electric (E)-sail.

Mingying Huo received his Ph.D. degree in aeronautical and astronautical science and technology from the Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China, in 2015. He is currently a research assistant in the Department of Aerospace Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology. His research interests mainly include dynamics and control of electric solar wind sail, and shape-based trajectory optimization method.

Ji Qi received his B.Eng. degree in electrical engineering and automation from Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China, in 2017. He is currently pursuing his M.S. degree in Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Southern California, USA. His current research interests include modern semiconductor devices, high performance digital integrated circuit design, and machine learning.

Shilei Cao received his B.S. degree in aerospace engineering from Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China, in 2015, where he is currently working toward his Ph.D. degree in the School of Astronautics. His current research interests include electric solar wind sail and flexible space structures.

Dongfang Zhu received his Ph.D. degree in control science and engineering from Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China, in 2011. He is currently a senior engineer, Shanghai Aerospace Control Technology Institute, China. His research interests mainly include dynamics and control of complex spacecraft.

Lujun Sun received his master degree in machatronics engineering from Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China, in 2013. He is currently a researcher in Department of Research and Development Center, Shanghai Aerospace Control Technology Institute, China. His interests mainly include nonlinear dynamics of periodic structures.

Hongli Sun received her Ph.D. degree from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, China, in 2011. Her research interests mainly include multibody system dynamics.

Naiming Qi received his Ph.D. degree in precision instrument and machinery from the Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China, in 2001. He is currently a professor at the Department of Aerospace Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology. His research interests mainly include dynamics and control of spacecraft, and trajectory optimization method.

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Zhao, C., Huo, M., Qi, J. et al. Coupled attitude-vibration analysis of an E-sail using absolute nodal coordinate formulation. Astrodyn 4, 249–263 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42064-020-0081-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42064-020-0081-x

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