Technology
What are Electrodynamic Tethers (EDTs)?
Electrodynamic Tethers are long, conductive cables deployed from a spacecraft. They interact with Earth's magnetic field and the ionospheric plasma to generate thrust or drag without the need for conventional chemical or electric propellant.
In the face of a growing space debris crisis and the rapid expansion of the new space economy, EDTs offer a revolutionary, sustainable approach to orbital maneuvering, deorbiting, and satellite life extension.
How it works
Like sailing boats, that travel without fuel by using the wind, EDTs interact with the space environment (ambient plasma and geomagnetic field) to produce a force without using propellant.
Key characteristics and features
Propellant-free: Eliminates the need to carry bulky, heavy, and dangerous chemical propellants, freeing up mass for valuable payloads.
Reversible: The same hardware can be used to maintain orbit during the mission lifetime and then reliably deorbit the spacecraft at end-of-life.
Scalable: Can be adapted for small CubeSats up to large constellation satellites and orbital transfer vehicles.
Autonomous deorbiting: Deorbit devices generate their own power, communicate through independent telemetry and telecommand, and control their own attitude, so they can deorbit a host satellite even when it is unpowered or uncontrolled.
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