METHOD OF ELECTRODYNAMIC ACTION WITH MAGNETOPLASMA NEAR-PLANET MEDIUM AND ELECTRODYNAMIC CABLE SYSTEM FOR REALIZATION OF THIS METHOD Russian patent published in 1997 - IPC

FIELD: space engineering; space electrodynamic cable systems used for generation of electric power on board space vehicle due to interaction with magnetic field and plasma; control of orbital and relative motion of space vehicle. SUBSTANCE: system includes central space vehicle 5, peripheral upper space vehicle 3 and peripheral lower space vehicle 4 connected with space vehicle 5 by means of branches 1 of flexible structure 2 which includes conducting members forming two-wire current line in branch 2 and one-wire current line in branch 1. Power supply source 14 and first plasma contactor are located on upper end of branch 2 in form of radiator surfaces 9 and 10 of power plant. Second plasma contactor 11 and third plasma contactor 12 are mounted respectively in area of connection of branches 2 and 1 with space vehicle 5 and on lower end of branch 1. Power supply source 14, plasma contactors 9, 10, 11 and 12 and on-board consumers of space vehicle 5 are provided with electric switching system and control system of plasma contactors. When part of plasma contactors are shifted to emitter and part of plasma contactors are shifted to commutator modes at respective switching of plasma contactor, power supply source and on-board consumers, different electric circuits are formed which are closed by means of plasma contactor through near-planet plasma. Regulating the parameters of these circuits provides for obtaining current of required magnitude and direction, thus delivering power for on-board consumers and/or control of relative and orbital motion of space vehicle 5 and peripheral vehicles 3 and 4 connected with it. Proposed system may realize about 30 different modes of electrodynamic interaction with magnetoplasma near-plant medium: engine-type, generator-type and combination of them. EFFECT: partial or complete duplication(redundancy) of operation of electrodynamic cable system in main modes of operation. 10 cl, 17 dwg