Application of electro-dynamic tether for deorbiting and deorbit time forecast

Space debris is a potential hazard to the safety of normal operating satellites. So it is necessary to take practicable measure to lead the useless satellites reenter into the Earth's atmosphere Electro-dynamic tethers provide a very promising propulsion system for deorbiting of LEO satellites. In this application, the Lorentz force generated by the interaction between the current in the wire and the geomagnetic field produces an electro-dynamic drag leading to a fast orbital decay. This paper presents an intensive study of the process of deorbiting using electro-dynamic tether system and forecast the de-orbiting time under accurate geomagnetic models.