Abstract
The problem of pendular oscillations of a tether attached to an irregularly shaped celestial body is studied in this paper. The dynamic analysis of the system is performed by examining the phase plane trajectories. The effect of the tether length as well as the higher order terms in the gravitational potential of the celestial body on the tether dynamics is investigated. It is demonstrated that consideration of the finite size of the celestial body can have significant effects on the tether dynamics, while the effect of the asphericity of the celestial body on the tether dynamics is negligible. This study is of practical relevance for asteroid deflection using tethers, as well as for the development of space elevators on small planets/moons.
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