On librations of a particle on a gantline fixed on a gravitationally stabilized space station

Abstract

We study dynamics of a particle moving along a gantline with ends fixed on endpoints of an extended space station which mass center describes a circular orbit in the central Newtonian force field. We restrict to the case of gravitationally oriented station, in other words, we suppose that the station is directed on the attracting center throughout the motion. Assuming that the gantline is weightless and unstretchable tether that realizes unilateral constraint, we establish that spacial motions of the particle are librations near the orbit plane generally. Such librations might be regular, including periodic ones, or chaotic. We note that, in general case, the gantline remains taut all the time for regular motions only.