Dynamic behavior analysis of tethered satellite system based on Floquet theory

In this paper, an n-star general dynamic model of tethered satellite system with closed-loop configuration is provided. An analytical method for periodic solution stability of the general dynamic model is proposed based on Floquet theory, which proved that the periodic solution stability of the system depends on the maximum modulus for the eigenvalue of a matrix related to the Jacobian matrix. The periodic solution stability of a 3-star system with equilateral triangle as the initial configuration is analyzed as an example based upon the analytical method, and the results are verified by numerical simulation. The critical spin angular velocity caused by the tether mass and the parameter variation of the 3-star system is analyzed. The results show that the analytical method of periodic solution stability can solve the critical stable spin angular velocity of the tethered satellite system accurately, and the 3-star system can guarantee stable spin in the case of the spin angular velocity is higher than the critical spin angular velocity.