@Article{icces.2023.09017,
AUTHOR = {Weicheng Huang},
TITLE = {Nonlinear Dynamics of a Flexible Tether-Net System for Space Debris	Capture},
JOURNAL = {The International Conference on Computational \& Experimental Engineering and Sciences},
VOLUME = {26},
YEAR = {2023},
NUMBER = {3},
PAGES = {1--1},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/icces/v26n3/54045},
ISSN = {1933-2815},
ABSTRACT = {Here,	 a	 flexible	 tether-net	 system	 is	 applied	 to	 capture	 the	 space	 debris	 and	 a	 numerical	 framework	 is	
established	 to	 explore	its	 nonlinear	 dynamic	 behaviors,	 which	 comprises	 four	 principal	 phases:	 folding,	
spreading,	contacting,	and	closing [1].	Based	on	the	discretization	of	the	whole	structure	into	multiple	nodes	
and	connected	edges,	elastic	force	vectors	and	associated	Jacobian	matrix	are	derived	analytically	to	solve	a	
series	of	equations	of	motion.	With	a	fully	implicit	method	applied	to	analyze	the	nonlinear	dynamics	of	a	
slender	rod	network,	 the	involved	mechanical	responses	are	investigated	numerically	accounting	 for	 the	
interactions.	 Contact	 between	 the	 deformable	 net	and	a	 rigid	 body	is	 handled	implicitly	 through	a	 costeffective	modified	mass	algorithm	while	the	catenary	theory	is	utilized	to	guide	the	folding	process	(from	
planar	configuration	to	origami-like	pattern).	The	dragging	and	spreading	actions	for the	folded	hexagon	net	
could	be	realized	by	shooting	six	corner	mass	toward	a	specific	direction;	next,	the	six	corners	would	be	
controlled	to	move	along	a	prescribed	path	producing	a	closing	gesture,	when	touch	between	the	flying	net	
and	the	target	body	is	detected,	so	that	for	the	space	debris	could	be	captured	and	removed	successfully.	We	
think	the	established	discrete	model	could	provide	a	novel	insight	in	the	design	of	active	debris	removal	
(ADR)	techniques	and	promote	further	development	of	the	model-based	control	of	tether	tugging	systems.},
DOI = {10.32604/icces.2023.09017}
}