Solar Sails for Perturbation Relief: Application to Asteroid Proximity Operations

Moore, I. and Ceriotti, M. (2019) Solar Sails for Perturbation Relief: Application to Asteroid Proximity Operations. In: 5th International Symposium on Solar Sailing (ISSS 2019), Aachen, Germany, 30 July - 2 Aug 2019,

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Abstract

A major cause of spacecraft orbital variation comes from natural perturbations, which, in close proximity of a body, are dominated by its non-spherical nature. For small bodies, such as asteroids, these effects can be considerable, given their uneven (and uncertain) mass distribution. We propose to use solar sail technology to reduce or eliminate the net effects of the irregular gravity field on the orbit. The Perturbation Relief (PR) method will be introduced which obtains a minimum effort optimal control law via the GPOPS II software. Success will be shown by taking a Poincar´e section and measuring the distance between the point through which each successive orbit passes. This distance will reduce to zero as the perturbation is nullified, resulting in a periodic orbit. The drift in Right Ascension of the Ascending Node (Ω) will also be verified. Minimisation of this will also indicate that the effects of the perturbation are minimised. Three test cases will be investigated at ellipsoidal representations of asteroids 3122 Florence, 101955 Bennu and a fictional Higher Eccentricity Body. The technique will later find application in a multiple asteroid rendezvous mission with a solar sail as the primary propulsion system.

Item Type:Conference Proceedings
Additional Information:Iain Moore would like to thank the James Watt School of Engineering (University of Glasgow) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for supporting this work. Matteo Ceriotti would like to thank the James Watt School of Engineering (University of Glasgow) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE Conference Grant EAC/KDF/OFFER/19/046) for supporting this work.
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Moore, Mr Iain and Ceriotti, Dr Matteo
Authors: Moore, I., and Ceriotti, M.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Systems Power and Energy
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2019 The Authors
Publisher Policy:Reproduced with the permission of the author
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