Patent ID: 6459206
Filing Date: 2002-10-01
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
A system for altering an orbit of a space object, comprising:an electrodynamic tether deployed from an orbiting space object and electrically connected so as to be capable of producing electrical charge; a charge-emitting device located at one end of the electrodynamic tether and-having at least two terminals, one of the terminals being electrically connected to the tether to receive the electrical charge produced by the tether; a first voltage source applying a voltage across the two terminals of the charge-emitting device to induce the charge-emitting device to emit the charge received from the tether so as to alter the orbit of the space object; and a second voltage source applying a voltage between one of the two terminals and the tether to connect that terminal to the tether and to provide a path through the charge-emitting device taken by the electrical charge when drawn from the tether and emitted by the emitting terminal.