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Moon & Mars Orbiting Spinning Tether Transport - Tethers Unlimited

Moon & Mars Orbiting Spinning Tether Transport - Tethers Unlimited

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<strong>Tether</strong> Boost FacilityControl Station• Solar Arrays• Battery/Flywheel Power Storage• Command & Control• <strong>Tether</strong> DeployerTotal Mass: 1,911 kgPayload Mass: 200 kg<strong>Tether</strong> (not shown to scale)• Hoytether for Survivability• Spectra 2000• 75-100 km Long• Conducting Portion forElectrodynamic ThrustingGrapple Assembly• Power, Guidance• Grapple Mechanism• Small <strong>Tether</strong> DeployerPayloadMX <strong>Tether</strong>s9“Net & Harpoon” Grapple Method• For a small tether facility, grapplemechanism must be small and lightweight– precludes highly capable grapple assembly• Favored grapple method is “harpoon & net”• Payload maneuvers to proximity with net• Payload “shoots” tethered grapple into net• Payload releases from net by retractingbarbs on grappleAdvantages:• Large capture envelope• Minimizes need for fast maneuvering bypayload• Minimizes dynamic loads on payloadIssues:• Load distribution on net• Assuring secure grapplingMX <strong>Tether</strong>s10

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