Repeated Shadow Track Orbits for Space-SunSetter Missions

This paper introduces a new set of orbits, the “Repeated Shadow Track Orbits.” In these orbits, the shadow of a spacecraft on the Earth visits the same locations periodically every desired number of days. The 𝐽2 perturbation is utilized to synchronize the spacecraft shadow motion with both the Earth...

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Main Authors: Ahmed Gad, Ossama Abdelkhalik
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2009-01-01
Series:International Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2009/561495
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author Ahmed Gad
Ossama Abdelkhalik
author_facet Ahmed Gad
Ossama Abdelkhalik
author_sort Ahmed Gad
collection DOAJ
description This paper introduces a new set of orbits, the “Repeated Shadow Track Orbits.” In these orbits, the shadow of a spacecraft on the Earth visits the same locations periodically every desired number of days. The 𝐽2 perturbation is utilized to synchronize the spacecraft shadow motion with both the Earth rotational motion and the Earth-Sun vector rotation. Motivation for the design of new shadow track orbits comes from the need to save energy. The general mathematical model to design a Repeated Shadow Track Orbit (RSTO) is presented within this paper. RSTOs' conditions are formulated and numerically solved. Results show the feasibility of RSTOs. An optimization process is also developed to maximize the shadow duration over a given site. A Genetic Algorithm (GA) technique is utilized for optimization.
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spelling doaj-art-b7d4d96d89ff4a10af54eb4eade12de22025-08-20T02:19:18ZengWileyInternational Journal of Aerospace Engineering1687-59661687-59742009-01-01200910.1155/2009/561495561495Repeated Shadow Track Orbits for Space-SunSetter MissionsAhmed Gad0Ossama Abdelkhalik1Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Tech University, 815 R.L. Smith Bldg, Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Tech University, 815 R.L. Smith Bldg, This paper introduces a new set of orbits, the “Repeated Shadow Track Orbits.” In these orbits, the shadow of a spacecraft on the Earth visits the same locations periodically every desired number of days. The 𝐽2 perturbation is utilized to synchronize the spacecraft shadow motion with both the Earth rotational motion and the Earth-Sun vector rotation. Motivation for the design of new shadow track orbits comes from the need to save energy. The general mathematical model to design a Repeated Shadow Track Orbit (RSTO) is presented within this paper. RSTOs' conditions are formulated and numerically solved. Results show the feasibility of RSTOs. An optimization process is also developed to maximize the shadow duration over a given site. A Genetic Algorithm (GA) technique is utilized for optimization.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2009/561495
spellingShingle Ahmed Gad
Ossama Abdelkhalik
Repeated Shadow Track Orbits for Space-SunSetter Missions
International Journal of Aerospace Engineering
title Repeated Shadow Track Orbits for Space-SunSetter Missions
title_full Repeated Shadow Track Orbits for Space-SunSetter Missions
title_fullStr Repeated Shadow Track Orbits for Space-SunSetter Missions
title_full_unstemmed Repeated Shadow Track Orbits for Space-SunSetter Missions
title_short Repeated Shadow Track Orbits for Space-SunSetter Missions
title_sort repeated shadow track orbits for space sunsetter missions
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2009/561495
work_keys_str_mv AT ahmedgad repeatedshadowtrackorbitsforspacesunsettermissions
AT ossamaabdelkhalik repeatedshadowtrackorbitsforspacesunsettermissions