Adaptive Optimal Control of Space Tether System for Payload Capture via Policy Iteration

The libration control problem of space tether system(STS)for post-capture of payload is studied.The process of payload capture will cause tether swing and deviation from the nominal position,resulting in the failure of capture mission.Due to unknown inertial parameters after capturing the payload,an adaptive optimal control based on policy iteration is developed to stabilize the uncertain dynamic system in the post-capture phase.By introducing integral reinforcement learning(IRL)scheme,the algebraic Riccati equation(ARE)can be online solved without known dynamics.To avoid computational burden from iteration equations,the online implementation of policy iteration algorithm is provided by the least-squares solution method.Finally,the effectiveness of the algorithm is validated by numerical simulations.

Energy-Based Current Control for Stabilizing a Flexible Electrodynamic Tether System

An energy-based controller of electric current is synthesized for the libration stabilization of an electrodynamic tether system,which consists of a relatively large main-satellite and a sub-satellite of much smaller size.Two dynamic models with different levels of accuracy are considered in this work.First,a dumbbell model of the system is used for the controller design,which aims at damping injection on the libration motions via the real-time regulation of the electric current.Furthermore,the efficacy and performance of the proposed scheme are numerically verified by using a more complex multi-body model which accounts for not only the tether flexibility but also the attitude of the main-satellite.

Analytical libration control law for electrodynamic tether system with current constraint

This study focuses on stabilizing the libration dynamics of an electrodynamic tether system(EDTS)using generalized torques induced by the Lorentz force.In contrast to existing numerical optimization methods,a novel analytical feedback control law is developed to stabilize the in-plane and out-of-plane motions of a tether by modulating the electric current only.The saturation constraint on the current is accounted for by adding an auxiliary dynamic system to the EDTS.To enhance the robustness of the proposed controller,multiple perturbations of the orbital dynamics,modeling uncertainties,and external disturbances are approximated using a neural network in which the weighting matrix and approximation error are estimated simultaneously,such that these perturbations are well compensated for during the control design of the EDTS.Furthermore,a dynamically scaled generalized inverse is utilized to address the singular matrix in the control law.The closed-loop system is proven to be ultimately bounded based on Lyapunov stability theory.Finally,numerical simulations are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed analytical control law.

Collision-avoidance strategy for a spinning electrodynamic tether system

Spinning electrodynamic tether systems(SEDTs)have promising potential for the active removal of space debris,the construction of observation platforms,and the formation of artificial gravity.However,owing to the survivability problem of long tethers,designing collision-avoidance strategies for SEDTs with space debris is an urgent issue.This study focuses on the design of collision-avoidance strategies for SEDTs with an electrodynamic force(Ampere force).The relative distance between the debris and the SEDT is first derived,and then two collision-avoidance strategies are proposed according to the two different cases.When debris collides closer to a lighter subsatellite,a stationary avoidance strategy is proposed to change the spatial position of the subsatellite by adjusting only the angular motion of the tether,which maintains the original orbit of the SEDT.When debris collides closer to a heavier main spacecraft,a comprehensive avoidance strategy is proposed to change the spatial position of the SEDT by slightly modifying the orbital height and changing the tether angular motion simultaneously.The numerical results illustrate that the proposed strategies promptly avoid potential collisions of an SEDT with space debris without significant changes in the orbital parameters of the SEDT.

Advances in dynamics and control of tethered satellite systems

The concept of tethered satellite system （TSS） promises to revolutionize many aspects of space exploration and exploitation. It provides not only numerous possible and valuable applications, but also challenging and interesting problems related to their dynamics, control, and physical implementation. Over the past decades, this exciting topic has attracted significant attention from many researchers and gained a vast number of analytical, numerical and experimental achievements with a focus on the two essential aspects of both dynamics and control. This review article presents the historic background and recent hot topics for the space tethers, and introduces the dynamics and control of TSSs in a progressive manner, from basic operating principles to the state-of-the-art achievements.

Review of deployment technology for tethered satellite systems

Tethered satellite systems（TSSs） have attracted significant attention due to their potential and valuable applications for scientific research. With the development of various launched on-orbit missions, the deployment of tethers is considered a crucial technology for operation of a TSS. Both past orbiting experiments and numerical results have shown that oscillations of the deployed tether due to the Coriolis force and environmental perturbations are inevitable and that the impact between the space tether and end-body at the end of the deployment process leads to complicated nonlinear phenomena. Hence, a set of suitable control methods plays a fundamental role in tether deployment. This review article summarizes previous work on aspects of the dynamics, control, and ground-based experiments of tether deployment. The relevant basic principles, analytical expressions, simulation cases, and experimental results are presented as well.

Nonlinear dynamics of flexible tethered satellite system subject to space environment

The paper studies the nonlinear dynamics of a flexible tethered satellite system subject to space environments, such as the J2 perturbation, the air drag force, the solar pressure, the heating effect, and the orbital eccentricity. The flexible tether is modeled as a series of lumped masses and viscoelastic dampers so that a finite multi- degree-of-freedom nonlinear system is obtained. The stability of equilibrium positions of the nonlinear system is then analyzed via a simplified two-degree-freedom model in an orbital reference frame. In-plane motions of the tethered satellite system are studied numerically, taking the space environments into account. A large number of numerical simulations show that the flexible tethered satellite system displays nonlinear dynamic characteristics, such as bifurcations, quasi-periodic oscillations, and chaotic motions.

Anti-Disturbance Control for Tethered Aircraft System With Deferred Output Constraints

In this paper,we investigate the peaking issue of extended state observers and the anti-disturbance control problem of tethered aircraft systems subject to the unstable flight of the main aircraft,airflow disturbances and deferred output constraints.Independent of exact initial values,a modified extended state observer is constructed from a shifting function such that not only the peaking issue inherently in the observer is circumvented completely but also the accurate estimation of the lumped disturbance is guaranteed.Meanwhile,to deal with deferred output constraints,an improved output constrained controller is employed by integrating the shifting function into the barrier Lyapunov function.Then,by combining the modified observer and the improved controller,an anti-disturbance control scheme is presented,which ensures that the outputs with any bounded initial conditions satisfy the constraints after a pre-specified finite time,and the tethered aircraft tracks the desired trajectory accurately.Finally,both a theoretical proof and simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.

Dynamics and rebound behavior analysis of flexible tethered satellite system in deployment and station-keeping phases

The tether deployment of a tethered satellite system involves the consideration of complex dynamic properties of the tether,such as large deformation,slack,and even rebound,and therefore,the dynamic modelling of the tether is necessary for performing a dynamic analysis of the system.For a variablelength tether element,the absolute nodal coordinate formulation(ANCF)in the framework of the arbitrary Lagrange-Euler(ALE)description was used to develop a precise dynamic model of a tethered satellite.The model considered the gravitational gradient force and Coriolis force in the orbital coordinate frame,and it was validated through numerical simulation.In the presence of dynamic constraints,a deployment velocity of the tether was obtained by an optimal procedure.In the simulation,rebound behavior of the tethered satellite system was observed when the ANCF-ALE model was employed.Notably,the rebound behavior cannot be predicted by the traditional dumbbell model.Furthermore,an improved optimal deployment velocity was developed.Simulation results indicated that the rebound phenomenon was eliminated,and smooth deployment as well as a stable state of the station-keeping process were achieved.Additionally,the swing amplitude in the station-keeping phase decreased when a deployment strategy based on the improved optimal deployment velocity was used.

Equilibrium configurations of the tethered three-body formation system and their nonlinear dynamics

This paper considers nonlinear dynamics of teth- ered three-body formation system with their centre of mass staying on a circular orbit around the Earth, and applies the theory of space manifold dynamics to deal with the nonlinear dynamical behaviors of the equilibrium configurations of the system. Compared with the classical circular restricted three body system, sixteen equilibrium configurations are obtained globally from the geometry of pseudo-potential energy sur- face, four of which were omitted in the previous research. The periodic Lyapunov orbits and their invariant manifolds near the hyperbolic equilibria are presented, and an iteration procedure for identifying Lyapunov orbit is proposed based on the differential correction algorithm. The non-transversal intersections between invariant manifolds are addressed to generate homoclinic and heteroclinic trajectories between the Lyapunov orbits. （3,3）- and （2,1）-heteroclinic trajecto- ries from the neighborhood of one collinear equilibrium to that of another one, and （3,6）- and （2,1）-homoclinic trajecto- ries from and to the neighborhood of the same equilibrium, are obtained based on the Poincar6 mapping technique.

Dynamic analysis of tethered space system deployment process

Discusses in detail the deploying strategies and feature of the motion of the Tethered Space System and the effects of some parameters, such as the property and initial length of the tether, the perturbation of the atmosphere, the ellipse of the orbit and the mass distribution of the system and points out the deploying strategy is based on the controlling of tension and the length of tether. And concludes from the computer simulation results of a tethered atmosphere probing satellite deployment that the deploying strategy presented does work well.

Electrodynamic Tethered Deorbit System Dynamics and Performance Analysis

Electrodynamic tethered deorbit technology is a novel way to remove abandoned spacecrafts like upper stages or unusable satellites. This paper investigates and analyses the deorbit performance and mission applicability of the electrodynamic tethered system. To do so, the electrodynamic tethered deorbit dynamics with multi-perturbation is firstly formulated, where the Earth magnetic field, the atmospheric drag, and the Earth oblateness effect are considered. Then, the key system parameters, including payload mass, tether length and tether type, are analyzed by numerical simulations to investigate their influences on the deorbit performance and to give the setting principles for choosing system parameters. Based on this and given an appropriate group of system parameters, numerical simulations are undertaken to study the impact of the mission parameters, including orbit height and orbit inclination, and thus to investigate the mission applicability of the electrodynamic tethered deorbit technology.

Anterior vertebral body tethering for idiopathic scoliosis in growing children:A systematic review

BACKGROUND The management of idiopathic scoliosis(IS)in skeletally immature patients should aim at three-dimensional deformity correction,without compromising spinal and chest growth.In 2019,the US Food and Drug Administration approved the first instrumentation system for anterior vertebral body tethering(AVBT),under a Humanitarian Device Exception,for skeletally immature patients with curves having a Cobb angle between 35°and 65°.AIM To summarize current evidence about the efficacy and safety of AVBT in the management of IS in skeletally immature patients.METHODS From January 2014 to January 2021,Ovid Medline,Embase,Cochrane Library,Scopus,Web of Science,Google Scholar and PubMed were searched to identify relevant studies.The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated and relevant data were extracted.RESULTS Seven clinical trials recruiting 163 patients were included in the present review.Five studies out of seven were classified as high quality,whereas the remaining two studies were classified as moderate quality.A total of 151 of 163 AVBT procedures were performed in the thoracic spine,and the remaining 12 tethering in the lumbar spine.Only 117 of 163(71.8%)patients had a nonprogressive curve at skeletal maturity.Twenty-three of 163(14.11%)patients required unplanned revision surgery within the follow-up period.Conversion to posterior spinal fusion(PSF)was performed in 18 of 163(11%)patients.CONCLUSION AVBT is a promising growth-friendly technique for treatment of IS in growing patients.However,it has moderate success and perioperative complications,revision and conversion to PSF.

Effect of lengthening alkyl spacer on hydroformylation performance of tethered-phosphine modified Rh/SiO_2 catalyst

Rh/SiO2 catalysts with tethered-phosphines with different alkyl spacer lengths have been prepared,tested and characterized.Lengthening the alkyl spacer of the tethered-phosphine improved the flexibility of tethered-phospine,promoted the formation of active species and enhanced the activity of hydroformylation over other tethered-phosphine modified Rh/SiO2 catalysts.

Non-Linear Response of Tethers Subjected to Parametric Excitation in Submerged Floating Tunnels

For the study of the non-linear response of inclined tethers subjected to parametric excitation in submerged floating tunnels, a theoretical model for coupled tube-tether vibration is developed. Upon the assumption that the static equilibri- um position of the tether is a quadratic parabola, the governing differential equations of the tether motion are derived by use of the Hamihon principle. An approximate numerical solution is obtained by use of Galerkin method and Runge-kutta method. The results show that, when the static equilibrium position of the tether is assumed to be. a quadratic parabola, the tether sag effect on its vibration may be reflected; the tether sag results in the asymmetry of tether vibration amplitude ; for the reduction of the tether amplitude, the buoyant unit weight of the tether should approach to zero as far as possible during the design.

Parametric Vibration of Submerged Floating Tunnel Tether Under Random Excitation

For the study of the parametric vibration response of submerged floating tunnel tether under random excitation, a nonlinear random parametric vibration equation of coupled tether and tube of submerged floating tunnel is set up. Subsequently, vibration response of tether in the tether-tube system is analyzed by Monte Carlo method. It may be concluded that when the tube is subjected to zero-mean Gaussian white noise random excitation, the displacement and velocity root mean square responses of tether reach the peak if the circular frequency of tube doubles that of tether; the displacement and velocity root mean square responses of tether increase as the random excitation root mean square increases; owing to the damping force of water, the displacement and velocity root mean square responses of tether decrease rapidly compared with tether in air; increasing the damping of the tether or tube reduces the displacement and velocity root mean square responses of tether; the large-amplitude vibration of tether may be avoided by locating dampers on the tether or tube.

Microsurgical efficacy in 326 children with tethered cord syndrome: a retrospective analysis

Tethered cord syndrome is a progressive disease with a typically insidious onset in infants and children, and which can lead to persistent progress of neurological deficits and a high rate of disability without timely intervention. The purpose of this study was to investigate the curative effect of microsurgery in children with different types of tethered cord syndrome. In this study, we analyzed 326 patients with tethered cord syndrome, aged from 2 months to 14 years old, who were followed for 3-36 months after microscopic surgery. Based on clinical manifestations and imaging findings, these patients were classified into five types： tight ilium terminale （53 cases）, lipomyelome- ningocele （55 cases）, lipomatous malformation （124 cases）, postoperative adhesions （56 cases）, and split cord malformation （38 cases）. All patients underwent microsurgery. Curative effects were measured before and 3 months after surgery by Spina Bifida Neurological Scale based on sensory and motor functions, reflexes, and bladder and bowel function. The results showed that Spina Bifida Neurological Scale scores improved in all five types after surgery. Overall effective rates in these patients were 75%. Effective rates were 91% in tight ilium terminale, 84% in lipomyelomeningocele, 65% in lipomatous malformation, 75% in postoperative adhesion, and 79% in split cord mal- formation. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that types of tethered cord syndrome （lipoma-type or not） and symptom duration before surgery were independent influencing factors of surgical outcome. These results show that therapeutic effect is markedly different in patients with different types of tethered cord syndrome. Suitable clinical classification for tethered cord syndrome will be helpful in predicting prognosis and guiding treatment. This trial has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry （registration number： ChiCTR1800016464）.

Seismic Response of Submerged Floating Tunnel Tether

A mathematical equation for vibration of submerged floating tunnel tether under the effects of earthquake and parametric excitation is presented. Multi-step Galerkin method is used to simplify this equation and the fourth-order Runge-Kuta integration method is used for numerical analysis. Finally, vibration response of submerged floating tunnel tether subjected to earthquake and parametric excitation is analyzed in a few numerical examples. The results show that the vibration response of tether varies with the seismic wave type; the steady maximum mid-span displacement of tether subjected to seismic wave keeps constant when parametric resonance takes place; the transient maximum mid-span displacement of tether is related to the peak value of input seismic wave acceleration.

Hill Instability Analysis of TLP Tether Subjected to Combined Platform Surge and Heave Motions

This paper presents the Hill instability analysis of Tension keg Platform （TLP） tether in deep sea. The 2-D nonlinear beanl model, which is undergoing coupled axial and transverse vibrations, is applied. The governing equations are reduced to nonlinear Hill equation by use of the Galerkin＇ s method and the modes superposition principle. The Hill instability charted up to large parameters is obtained. An important parameter M is defined and can be expressed as the functions of tether length, the platform surge and heave motion amplitudes. Some example studies are performed for various envirotnnental conditions. The results demonstrate that the nonlinear coupling between the axial and transverse vibrations has a significant effect on the response of structure. It needs to be considered for the accurate dynamic analysis of long TI2 tether subjected to the combined platfolna surge and heave motions.

Numerical investigation of dynamical behavior of tethered rigid spheres in supersonic flow

The dynamical behavior of two tethered rigid spheres in a supersonic flow is numerically investigated. The tethered lengths and radius ratios of the two spheres are different. The two spheres, which are centroid axially aligned initially, are held stationary first, then released, and subsequently let fly freely in a supersonic flow. The mean qualities of the system and the qualities of the bigger sphere are considered and compared with the situations without the tether. In the separation process, six types of motion caused by the spheres, tether, and fluid interaction are found. The results show that the mean x-velocity of the system changes in a different manner for different radius ratios, and the x-velocity of the bigger sphere is uniformly reduced but through different mechanisms.