Coupled orbit-attitude dynamics of an asteroid during swing-bys

Yarnoz, D. G. and McInnes, C. R. (2014) Coupled orbit-attitude dynamics of an asteroid during swing-bys. In: International Astronautical Congress 2014 (IAC 2014), Toronto, Canada, 29 Sep - 3 Oct 2014,

Abstract

The rotational state and structure of minor bodies undergo major disruptions during very close encounters with massive bodies. This paper proposes the use of tidal interaction during a swing-by to modify or manipulate the spin and possibly the structure of asteroids, primarily during capture. The possibility of de-spinning, spinning-up or controlled break-up of a captured asteroid is considered. Three simple planar models are used to study the orbit-attitude interactions: the coupled dynamics of an ideal mass-point dumbbell, a simplified decoupled rigid body rotation dynamics, and a circular orbit binary. The evolution of the rotational state and structure of the asteroids is studied for the hypothetical cases of a single lunar or Earth swing-by prior to capture. The final conditions are shown to be highly dependent on the initial rotational state, the distance to the swing-by body, and, most importantly, the relative attitude of the asteroid to the local vertical at pericentre.

• Item Type: Conference Proceedings
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: McInnes, Professor Colin
• Authors: Yarnoz, D. G., and McInnes, C. R.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Systems Power and Energy
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2014 The Authors
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced with the permission of the authors

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