The United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of the

Charles C Rupp

George L Von Pragenau

Ralph R Kissel

A system for tethering one orbiting space vehicle to another in which a tetherline between the vehicles is controlled by a motorized reel which in turn is controlled to deploy, retrieve, or maintain a constant line length while effecting a stabilizing influence on the line. This is accomplished by applying a tension to the line which takes into account the instantaneous length of the line, rate of change of the length of the line, and certain constants which vary depending upon the mode of operation, deployment, retrieval, or station keeping.

Tetherline system for orbiting satellites

An attitude control system for a space vehicle in which angular rate signals are generated by rate gyros mounted closely adjacent to gimbaled engines at the rear of a vehicle, and wherein error signals representative of a commanded change in vehicle angle or attitude are obtained from a precision inertial platform located in the nose region of the vehicle. The rate gyro derived signals dominate at high frequencies where dynamic effects become significant, and platform signals dominate at low frequencies where precision signals are required for a steady vehicle attitude. The blended signals are applied in a conventional manner to control the gimbaling of vehicle engines about control axes.

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Huntsville, AL, United States of America

Charles C Rupp