MULTI-BODY DYNAMICS METHOD OF GENERATING FUEL EFFICIENT TRANSFER ORBITS FOR SPACECRAFT

Title:

MULTI-BODY DYNAMICS METHOD OF GENERATING FUEL EFFICIENT TRANSFER ORBITS FOR SPACECRAFT

Document Type and Number:

WIPO Patent Application WO/2012/134929

Kind Code:

A3

Abstract:

A method of generating orbital transfers for spacecraft. The method provides an innovative technique for transferring spacecraft from one Earth orbit to another Earth orbit using significant solar gravitational influences. In one particular implementation, the multi-bodies in the transfer determination are the Earth (about which the spacecraft is to orbit) and the Sun (e.g., the Earth and the Sun are the first and second celestial bodies providing multi-body dynamics). The transfer orbit or trajectory is determined to make use of efficient tangential maneuvers by leveraging solar gravitational influences to improve transfer performance. Based on the generated transfer orbit, the spacecraft is controlled to perform one or more maneuvers to achieve a transfer orbit that traverses into a regime where the spacecraft's trajectory is significantly affected by gravity from both the Sun and the Earth. The spacecraft performs a near-tangential orbit insertion maneuver to enter the final orbit.

More Like This:

WO/2002/018208	SPACECRAFT SUNSHIELD FOR USE IN PERFORMING SOLAR TORQUE BALANCING
JPH05268131	COMMUNICATION SATELLITE NETWORK AND ITS FORMING METHOD
JPS61261199	ARTIFICIAL SATELLITE LOADED TWO FREEDOM-DEGREE DESPUN PLATFORM

Inventors:

CHEETHAM BRADLEY (US)

Application Number:

PCT/US2012/030056

Publication Date:

December 06, 2012

Filing Date:

March 22, 2012

Export Citation:

Click for automatic bibliography generation Help

Assignee:

GERYON SPACE TECHNOLOGIES LTD (US)
CHEETHAM BRADLEY (US)

International Classes:

B64G1/24; G05D1/10

Foreign References:

US6708116B2	2004-03-16
US6751531B2	2004-06-15
US7197381B2	2007-03-27
US5561837A	1996-10-01

Other References: