Abstract
The dynamics, stability, and control of a large family of non-Keplerian orbits are investigated and mission
applications are discussed. The orbits are generated by seeking equilibrium solutions to the two-body problem
in a rotating frame of reference with an additional thrust-induced acceleration. Viewed from an inertial frame
of reference, displaced circular orbits are obtained. Three main families of orbits are presented, and their local
stability characteristics are investigated. Although it is found that there are unstable subfamilies of orbits, it is
also shown that these orbits are controllable using linear state feedback. Impulse control is also investigated as a
means of generating displaced orbits and is compared to continuous thrust control. It is demonstrated that these
non-Keplerian orbits can be patched together to provide large additional families of orbits.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the 55th International Astronautical Congress |
| Pages | 173 |
| Publication status | Published - 2004 |
Keywords
- orbits
- space technology
- solar sails
- astronautical engineering
- guidance systems