Controlled Solar Sail Transfers into Near-Sun Regions Combined with Planetary Gravity-Assist Flybys

Authors: Koblik V.¹; Polyakhova E.²; Sokolov L.³

Source: Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy, Volume 86, Number 1, May 2003 , pp. 59-80(22)

Publisher: Springer

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Abstract:

Results of numerical simulations of ‘local-optimal’ (or ‘instantaneously optimal’) trajectories of a space probe with a flat solar sail which moves from the circular Earth orbit to near-Sun regions are presented. We examine planar (ecliptic) solar sail transfer with gravity-assist flybys of Earth, Venus and Mercury. Several complex control modes of the sail tilt orientation angle for near-Sun orbits and for some ‘falling onto the Sun’ trajectories are investigated. The numerical simulations are used to examine the flight duration of some sail missions and to investigate the evolution of osculating elliptical orbits.

Keywords: solar sail; orbital transfer; orbital manoeuvres; gravity-assist flyby

Language: English

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: Tuorla Observatory, Piikkiö, FIN-21500, Finland, e-mail: viakob@utu.fi 2: Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics, Sobolev Astronomical Institute of St.-Petersburg State University, Petrodvorets, 198504 St.-Petersburg, Russia, e-mail: pol@astro.spbu.ru 3: Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics, Sobolev Astronomical Institute of St.-Petersburg State University, Petrodvorets, 198504 St.-Petersburg, Russia, e-mail: lsok@astro.spbu.ru

Publication date: 2003-05-01