Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Publication status | Published - 4 Apr 2011 |
| Event | 8th IAA Symposium on Small Satellites - Berlin, Germany Duration: 4 Apr 2011 → 8 Apr 2011 |
Conference
| Conference | 8th IAA Symposium on Small Satellites |
|---|---|
| Country | Germany |
| City | Berlin |
| Period | 4/04/11 → 8/04/11 |
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Keywords
- cubeSat mission
- aerodynamic drag
- de-orbiting strategy
- solar radiation pressure
- analytical model
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A passive de-orbiting strategy for high altitude CubeSat missions using a deployable reflective balloon. / Lücking, Charlotte; Colombo, Camilla; McInnes, Colin.
2011. Paper presented at 8th IAA Symposium on Small Satellites, Berlin, Germany.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper
TY - CONF
T1 - A passive de-orbiting strategy for high altitude CubeSat missions using a deployable reflective balloon
AU - Lücking, Charlotte
AU - Colombo, Camilla
AU - McInnes, Colin
N1 - WINNER OF BEST PAPER AWARD.
PY - 2011/4/4
Y1 - 2011/4/4
N2 - A de-orbiting strategy for small satellites, in particular CubeSats, is proposed which exploits the effect of solar radiation pressure to increase the spacecraft orbit eccentricity so that the perigee falls below an altitude where atmospheric drag will cause the spacecraft orbit to naturally decay. This is achieved by fitting the spacecraft with an inflatable reflective balloon. Once this is fully deployed, the overall area-to-mass ratio of the spacecraft is increased; hence solar radiation pressure and aerodynamic drag have a greatly increased effect on the spacecraft orbit. An analytical model of the orbit evolution due to solar radiation pressure and the J2 effect as a Hamiltonian system shows the evolution of an initially circular orbit. The maximum reachable orbit eccentricity as a function of semi-major axis and area-to-mass ratio can be found and used to determine the size of balloon required for de-orbiting from circular orbits of different altitudes. A system design of the device is performed and the feasibility of the proposed de-orbiting strategy is assessed and compared to the use of conventional thrusters. The use of solar radiation pressure to increase the orbit eccentricity enables passive de-orbiting from significantly higher altitudes than conventional drag augmentation devices.
AB - A de-orbiting strategy for small satellites, in particular CubeSats, is proposed which exploits the effect of solar radiation pressure to increase the spacecraft orbit eccentricity so that the perigee falls below an altitude where atmospheric drag will cause the spacecraft orbit to naturally decay. This is achieved by fitting the spacecraft with an inflatable reflective balloon. Once this is fully deployed, the overall area-to-mass ratio of the spacecraft is increased; hence solar radiation pressure and aerodynamic drag have a greatly increased effect on the spacecraft orbit. An analytical model of the orbit evolution due to solar radiation pressure and the J2 effect as a Hamiltonian system shows the evolution of an initially circular orbit. The maximum reachable orbit eccentricity as a function of semi-major axis and area-to-mass ratio can be found and used to determine the size of balloon required for de-orbiting from circular orbits of different altitudes. A system design of the device is performed and the feasibility of the proposed de-orbiting strategy is assessed and compared to the use of conventional thrusters. The use of solar radiation pressure to increase the orbit eccentricity enables passive de-orbiting from significantly higher altitudes than conventional drag augmentation devices.
KW - cubeSat mission
KW - aerodynamic drag
KW - de-orbiting strategy
KW - solar radiation pressure
KW - analytical model
M3 - Paper
ER -