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- Title
A Single-Averaged Model for the Solar Radiation Pressure Applied to Space Debris Mitigation Using a Solar Sail.
- Authors
Carvalho, J. P. S.; Cardoso dos Santos, J.; Lima, J. S.; Brejão, L. F.; Prado, A. F. B. A.
- Abstract
Several non-functional objects are orbiting around the Earth and they are called space debris. In this work, we investigate the process of space debris mitigation from the GEO region using a solar sail. The acceleration induced by the solar radiation pressure (SRP) is the most relevant perturbation for objects in orbit around the Earth with a high area-to-mass ratio ( A / m ). We consider the single-averaged SRP model with the Sun in an elliptical and inclined orbit. In addition to the SRP effect, the orbital evolution of space debris is analyzed considering the perturbations due to the Earth's flattening and third-body perturbations in the dynamical system. The idea is to use the solar sail as a propulsion system using the Sun itself as a clean and abundant energy source so that it can remove space debris from the geostationary orbit and also contribute to the sustainability of space exploration. Using averaged dynamical maps as a tool, the numerical simulations show that the solar sail contributes strongly to exciting the eccentricity of the space debris, causing its reentry into Earth's atmosphere. To perform the numerical simulations, we consider data from real space debris. We also show that the solar sail can be used to remove space debris for a graveyard orbit. In this way, the solar sail can work as a clean and sustainable space-debris-removal mechanism. Finally, we show that the convenient choice of the argument of perigee and the longitude of the ascending node might contribute to amplify the growth of eccentricity. It is also shown that solar radiation pressure destroys the symmetry of the orbits that can be observed in keplerian orbits, so all the orbits will be asymmetric when considering the presence of this force.
- Subjects
SOLAR sails; RADIATION pressure; SOLAR radiation; SPACE debris; PROPULSION systems; SPACE exploration
- Publication
Symmetry (20738994), 2023, Vol 15, Issue 5, p1107
- ISSN
2073-8994
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/sym15051107