Equilibrium Positions of a Tethered Connected Artificial Satellites in Circular Orbit:

Abstract

Purpose of the present work is to investigate and calculate the equilibrium positions of a tethered connected artificial satellites at low altitude in circular orbit. Gravitational force of attraction is the main force and all other forces like geo-magnetic field, shadow of the earth, radiation pressure,air resistance and elasticity of the cable are treated here as the perturbing forces.  The tether connecting the two satellites is taken as light, flexible non-conducting and elastic in nature. We do not consider nutation and wobbling of the orbit of the centre of the mass of the system. Here, we observe that only one equilibrium position exists for the motion of the system.