Design of optimal Earth pole-sitter transfers using low-thrust propulsion
Heiligers, Jeannette and Ceriotti, Matteo and McInnes, Colin and Biggs, James (2012) Design of optimal Earth pole-sitter transfers using low-thrust propulsion. Acta Astronautica, 79. pp. 253-268. ISSN 0094-5765
![]() |
PDF
Heiligers_J_et_al_Pure_Pole_Sitter_Transfers_Revised_Manuscript_18_Apr_2012.pdf Preprint Download (3MB) |
Abstract
Recent studies have shown the feasibility of an Earth pole-sitter mission using low-thrust propulsion. This mission concept involves a spacecraft following the Earth's polar axis to have a continuous, hemispherical view of one of the Earth's poles. Such a view will enhance future Earth observation and telecommunications for high latitude and polar regions. To assess the accessibility of the pole-sitter orbit, this paper investigates optimum Earth pole-sitter transfers employing low-thrust propulsion. A launch from low Earth orbit (LEO) by a Soyuz Fregat upper stage is assumed after which solar electric propulsion is used to transfer the spacecraft to the pole-sitter orbit. The objective is to minimize the mass in LEO for a given spacecraft mass to be inserted into the pole-sitter orbit. The results are compared with a ballistic transfer that exploits manifold-like trajectories that wind onto the pole-sitter orbit. It is shown that, with respect to the ballistic case, low-thrust propulsion can achieve significant mass savings in excess of 200 kg for a pole-sitter spacecraft of 1000 kg upon insertion. To finally obtain a full low-thrust transfer from LEO up to the pole-sitter orbit, the Fregat launch is replaced by a low-thrust, minimum time spiral, which provides further mass savings, but at the cost of an increased time of flight.
Creators(s): | Heiligers, Jeannette, Ceriotti, Matteo, McInnes, Colin and Biggs, James; | Item type: | Article |
---|---|
ID code: | 39222 |
Keywords: | Pole-sitter , trajectory optimization , solar electric propulsion , low-thrust propulsion , Soyuz launch , orbital averaging , low-thrust spiral , Mechanical engineering and machinery, Motor vehicles. Aeronautics. Astronautics, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Control and Systems Engineering, Computational Mechanics |
Subjects: | Technology > Mechanical engineering and machinery Technology > Motor vehicles. Aeronautics. Astronautics |
Department: | Faculty of Engineering > Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Technology and Innovation Centre > Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing |
Depositing user: | Pure Administrator |
Date deposited: | 18 Apr 2012 09:51 |
Last modified: | 11 Jan 2021 01:34 |
Related URLs: | |
URI: | https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/39222 |
Export data: |