The Libration Stabilization Of A Partial Space Elevator System Using Analytical Reel Rate Control

This paper investigates the libration stabilization control of a partial space elevator system with a moving climber in circular orbits. The system is described by a modified two-piece dumbbell model. The model consists of one main satellite, one climber and one end-body connected by two straight, massless and inextensible tethers. The climber and the end body can move along the tether. The libration motion and the tether reeling motion are separated. And a reel rate function is obtained by analyzing the equilibrium state of the libration motion, based on the which an analytical control scheme is designed. Using the sliding mode control law, the proposed control scheme can be implemented effectively and robustly. The results of numerical simulations show that the proposed control scheme has good performance in keeping the stable of the climber’s transfer of a partial space elevator satellite system. Furthermore, the proposed libration suppression control can be realized by using tension control only.