Space elevator operation in proximity of asteroids

摘要

Relative equilibria of a spacecraft attached with an extensible tether to the surface of a uniformly rotating celestial object are considered. The domains, where the spacecraft can be held with the help of such a pendulum, are described. The results are illustrated on a particular example of a body with spherical mass distribution. The features of applicability of the elastic force in problems of such types are discussed. A comparative analysis of the cable tension is carried out numerically in the framework of the shock theory, based on the Newton model and the assumption of the inextensibility of the tether, and assuming the tether's high stiffness and the presence of dissipation.