We present the results obtained within the H2020 ReDSHIFT project on the dynamical characterization of the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) region. An extended simulation campaign was performed in order to recognize the dynamical highways that can be exploited for the design of passive disposal strategies. The LEO region has been mapped in terms of semi-major axis, eccentricity, and inclination, by propagating for 120 years a grid of initial conditions including quasi-circular up to eccentric orbits, with semi-major axes up to 9400 km, prograde and retrograde inclinations, and 16 combinations of longitude of ascending node and argument of pericenter. For each set of initial conditions, two initial epochs and two values of area-to-mass ratio were considered. The outcome reveals the existence of resonant corridors due to lunisolar perturbations, geopotential zonal harmonics or solar radiation pressure, which can be used in combination with the atmospheric drag in order to achieve reentry. This information can be exploited, in the long-term simulations of the LEO environment, to devise optimal mitigation scenarios, minimizing the Delta V requirements to comply with a given residual lifetime of the spacecraft.
DYNAMICAL MAPPING OF THE LEO REGION FOR PASSIVE DISPOSAL DESIGN
EM Alessi;G Schettino;A Rossi;GB Valsecchi
2017
Abstract
We present the results obtained within the H2020 ReDSHIFT project on the dynamical characterization of the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) region. An extended simulation campaign was performed in order to recognize the dynamical highways that can be exploited for the design of passive disposal strategies. The LEO region has been mapped in terms of semi-major axis, eccentricity, and inclination, by propagating for 120 years a grid of initial conditions including quasi-circular up to eccentric orbits, with semi-major axes up to 9400 km, prograde and retrograde inclinations, and 16 combinations of longitude of ascending node and argument of pericenter. For each set of initial conditions, two initial epochs and two values of area-to-mass ratio were considered. The outcome reveals the existence of resonant corridors due to lunisolar perturbations, geopotential zonal harmonics or solar radiation pressure, which can be used in combination with the atmospheric drag in order to achieve reentry. This information can be exploited, in the long-term simulations of the LEO environment, to devise optimal mitigation scenarios, minimizing the Delta V requirements to comply with a given residual lifetime of the spacecraft.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
