Abstract:Based onphysical simulation experiment, an attitude control problem concerning the inplane motion of a tethered satellite system with short distance deployment is studied by means of dynamics similarity between the ground-based experiments and the onorbit system. Starting with nonlinear dynamic of the tethered satellite system with controllable arm, dynamics similarity conditions between the groundbased experiments and the onorbit system are obtained. using the proportion differential feedback control strategy, a numerical simulation is performed to the attitude motion of the controlled tethered satellite. Subsequently, the similar onorbit environment is realized by experimental platform. The groundbased test is conducted, the control of the attitude motion tethered satellite the tether swing is achieved only using single rigid arm. Finally, the comparison of experimental and numerical results demonstrate that the of rigid arm can effectively control the deployment of the tethered satellite.