The paper presents results of conceptual design studies to determine configuration of an electrically propelled upper stage (EPUS) – a space transportation stage (a space tug) with main engines based on electric propulsion powered by solar arrays. It addresses the problem of deploying a multi-plane orbital constellation of small spacecraft (SSC) using an electrically propelled upper stage. It proposes to change the SSC operational orbital planes based on the effect of the difference in precession rates between the parking and the working orbits owing to the effect of eccentricity in the Earth gravitational field. Requirements have been defined for the EPUS electrical propulsion system that take into account the need to operate it to offset the aerodynamic drag while waiting in the parking orbit for the SSC operational orbital plane to turn. It demonstrates the feasibility of employing four EPUS that use Stationary Plasma Thruster-type electric propulsion as their main engines and gallium arsenide solar arrays for deployment in a 600 km orbit in four planes an orbital constellation of 24 small spacecraft with a mass of ~250 kg each using one launch of a medium capacity launch vehicle of Soyuz-2.1b type. Key words: Electrically propelled upper stage, electric propulsion, small spacecraft, orbital constellation.

The paper presents results of conceptual design studies to determine configuration of an electrically propelled upper (a space tug) with main engines arrays. It addresses the problem stage (EPUS) — a space transportation stage based on electric propulsion powered by solar of deploying a multi-plane orbital constellation of to in of small spacecraft (SSC) using an electrically propelled upper stage. It proposes change the SSC operational orbital planes based on the effect of precession rates between the parking and the working orbits eccentricity in the Earth gravitational field. Requirements owing have the difference to the effect been defined for the EPUS electrical propulsion system that take into account the need to operate it to offset the aerodynamic drag while waiting in the parking orbit for the SSC operational orbital plane to turn. It demonstrates the feasibility of employing four EPUS that use Stationary Plasma Thruster-type electric propulsion as their main engines and gallium arsenide solar arrays for deployment in a 600 km orbit in four planes an orbital constellation of 24 small spacecraft with a mass of ~250 kg each using one launch of a medium capacity launch vehicle of Soyuz-2.1b type.

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The article is devoted to the torque method, according to the principles of which it is possible to determine the loads arising in the thin-walled shell of the hulls of orbital vehicles from the action of the internal pressure uniformly distributed over the area, normally oriented to the middle surface of the shell. In this case, the load on the shell consists of normal forces (longitudinal and circumferential), a transverse force that causes radial displacements in the shell, and a bending moment in the longitudinal plane of the object. The specified bending moment can occur during the manifestation of inertial forces (for example, the Coriolis force) during the transition of the orbital vehicle in height from one orbit to another in vertical directions normal to the orbit (rotational movements); the same rotary movements can cause inertial forces to appear when maneuvering spacecraft and rocket units at the same height (in conventionally horizontal directions). To determine the above loads and radial displacements of the shell, a mathematical algorithm is proposed based on the principles of the moment calculation method according to the scheme of an infinitely long shell, which is typical for orbital vehicle housings.