基于金属化纤维的高性能空间电动力绳技术

    High-performance space electrodynamic tether technology based on metal-clad fibers

    • 摘要: 电动力绳技术利用太空飞行时切割地磁场产生感生电动势,通过绳表面与空间等离子体之间的电势差收集空间电子产生电流,进而导致洛伦兹力的作用。本研究聚焦电动力绳的编织问题,通过对电动力绳参数、材料与工艺进行设计,实现电动力绳电子吸附能力的性能提升。基于改进的设计方案,研制出电动力绳,利用原子氧和电子收集实验研究了系绳抗氧化能力和电子吸附能力。结果表明,在高浓度原子氧的作用下,电动力绳镀金属纤维完好无损,表明所设计的电动力绳具有强抗氧化能力。基于空间等离子体环境模拟实验,获得了系绳电流与偏置电压之间的非线性关系。

       

      Abstract: Electric current and its corresponding Lorentz force in electrodynamic tether (EDT) will be generated by the potential difference between the tether surface and the space plasma, once the flying tether orbiting Earth cuts through Earth’s magnetic field. This study focuses on optimizing the braiding process of EDT in order to enhancing their electron collection capability, including parameter design, material selection, and manufacturing techniques. A prototype EDT with metal-clad fibers is fabricated based on the proposed design. Afterwards, the atomic oxygen and electron collection experiments are completed to evaluate oxidation resistance and electron collection performance of the EDT. The results show that no structural degradation is exposed in the metal-clad fibers in the EDT under high-density atomic oxygen flux, confirming robust oxidation resistance. Besides, the space plasma environment experiment is conducted to analyze the relationship between tether current and bias voltage.