Existence of nonimpact motions along a wire rope fixed to an extended spacecraft.

The possibility of nonimpact tension of a cable after its weakening when a small load moves along the cable whose ends are fixed on a massive dumbbell-like spacecraft which is moving in a steady-state manner along a circular orbit is considered. The conditions of existence and classification of the trajectories of nonimpact motion, including periodic ones, are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]