Solar electric propulsion combined with earth gravity assist - A newpotential for planetary exploration

Atkins, K. L.; Sauer, C. G.; Flandro, Gary A.

doi:10.2514/6.1976-807

Cited by 9 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…3 Because of this advantage, many previous interplanetary missions (e.g., Voyager I, II; Galileo; Cassini; and NEAR) exploited the gravity assist. 4 This technique is used in this paper, employing a single Venus gravity assist to generate the trajectories to various outer planets.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low-Thrust Trajectory Optimization Procedure for Gravity-Assist, Outer-Planet Missions

Woo

Coverstone

Cupples

2006

Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets

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A hybrid trajectory optimization procedure for a class of solar-electric-propulsion, gravity-assist, outer-planet missions is presented. The parameter space of a target mission is often nonconvex and a calculus-of-variationsbased optimization algorithm suffers difficulties efficiently exploring this space. A hybrid procedure using a genetic algorithm to drive a calculus-of-variations program is developed to automate searching over a reduced parameter space. Employing the hybrid procedure, the delivered mass profiles of a Uranus and Pluto mission are generated more quickly than by using the calculus-of-variations optimization algorithm alone.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low-Thrust Trajectory Optimization Procedure for Gravity-Assist, Outer-Planet Missions

Woo

Coverstone

Cupples

2006

Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets

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“…In its original concept, suitable impulsive maneuvers (provided by chemical thrusters) and intermediate flybys were used for the spacecraft to obtain a desired increase in excess velocity relative to the Earth. The application of ∆V-EGA maneuvers has also been proposed for spacecrafts equipped with low-thrust propulsion systems [25][26][27], such as electric thrusters [28], solar sails [29,30], or a combination of both [31]. After a ∆V-EGA maneuver and the subsequent re-encounter with Earth, the spacecraft can move towards other planets [32,33] and moons [34], or correct possible orbital injection errors [35].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimal Earth Gravity-Assist Maneuvers with an Electric Solar Wind Sail

et al. 2022

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Propellantless propulsive systems such as Electric Solar Wind Sails are capable of accelerating a deep-space probe, only requiring a small amount of propellant for attitude and spin-rate control. However, the generated thrust magnitude is usually small when compared with the local Sun’s gravitational attraction. Therefore, the total velocity change necessary for the mission is often obtained at the expense of long flight times. A possible strategy to overcome this issue is offered by an Earth gravity-assist maneuver, in which a spacecraft departs from the Earth’s sphere of influence, moves in the interplanetary space, and then re-encounters the Earth with an increased hyperbolic excess velocity with respect to the starting planet. An Electric Solar Wind Sail could effectively drive the spacecraft in the interplanetary space to perform such a particular maneuver, taking advantage of an augmented thrust magnitude in the vicinity of the Sun due to the increased solar wind ion density. This work analyzes Earth gravity-assist maneuvers performed with an Electric Solar Wind Sail based probe within an optimal framework, in which the final hyperbolic excess velocity with respect to the Earth is maximized for a given interplanetary flight time. Numerical simulations highlight the effectiveness of this maneuver in obtaining a final heliocentric orbit with high energy.

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“…An analysis of the efficacy of delta-V gravity-assist trajectories and a collection of practical results are discussed in the doctoral thesis of Sims. 14 As early as the 1970's, the use of electric propulsion in conjunction with a gravity-assist from the Earth was investigated by Meissinger, 15 and Atkins et al 16 In 1979, Sauer 17 described how solar electric propulsion (SEP) combined with an Earth gravity assist could deliver spacecraft to the outer planets. More recent work was published by Kawaguchi, 18 Sauer, 19 Williams and Coverstone-Carroll, 20 and Maddock and Sims.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%