Electrodynamic Tethers In Space

After a first, more introductory, part, on the history of space tethers and the basic concepts of electrodynamic tethers, the main part of the book is addressed to an exhaustive study of tether dynamics. All possible tether oscillation modes are considered ending up with a theory where transverse and longitudinal tether modes are interacting with librations. This dynamical study is indeed crucial to discuss applications as tethers, in presence of an electrical current, are found to be unstable. Criteria for safe tether operations, for a given amount of time, are discussed. The last part of the book describes, in quantitative detail, the possible applications of power generation, thrust generation and de-orbiting space objects with the use of electrodynamic tethers.