Photonic spin control for solar wind electric sail

The electric solar wind sail (E-sail) is a novel, efficient propellantless propulsion concept which utilises the natural solar wind for spacecraft propulsion with the help of long centrifugally stretched charged tethers. The E-sail requires auxiliary propulsion applied to the tips of the main tethers for creating the initial angular momentum and possibly for modifying the spinrate later during flight to counteract the orbital Coriolis effect and possibly for mission specific reasons. We introduce the possibility of implementing the required auxiliary propulsion by small photonic blades (small radiation pressure solar sails). The blades would be stretched centrifugally. We look into two concepts, one with and one without auxiliary tethers. The use of small photonic sails has the benefit of providing sufficient spin modification capability for any E-sail mission while keeping the technology fully propellantless. We conclude that small photonic sails appear to be a feasible and attractive solution to E-sail spinrate control.     

电动帆轨迹优化及其性能分析

电动帆是一种新兴的无推进剂损耗的推进方式,利用太阳风的动能冲力飞行。电动帆由数百根长而细的金属链所组成,这些金属链通过空间飞行器自旋展开,太阳能电子枪向外喷射电子,使金属链始终保持在高度的正电位,这些带电的金属链会排斥太阳风质子,利用太阳风的动能冲力推动空间飞行器驶向目标方向。针对电动帆轨迹优化问题,提出采用Gauss伪谱法进行轨迹优化,克服了间接法对协态变量初值敏感的缺点。考虑在太阳风暴等原因造成特征加速度改变的情况,基于Gauss伪谱法实现电动帆在线轨迹重新规划,提高电动帆对太阳风不确定性的适应能力。最后以太阳系外探测任务为例,对电动帆和太阳帆的性能进行对比,仿真结果表明电动帆在星际远航任务中所用时间较短。     

Optimal control laws for heliocentric transfers with a magnetic sail

A magnetic sail is an advanced propellantless propulsion system that uses the interaction between the solar wind and an artificial magnetic field generated by the spacecraft, to produce a propulsive thrust in interplanetary space. The aim of this paper is to collect the available experimental data, and the simulation results, to develop a simplified mathematical model that describes the propulsive acceleration of a magnetic sail, in an analytical form, for mission analysis purposes. Such a mathematical model is then used for estimating the performance of a magnetic sail-based spacecraft in a two-dimensional, minimum time, deep space mission scenario. In particular, optimal and locally optimal steering laws are derived using an indirect approach. The obtained results are then applied to a mission analysis involving both an optimal Earth–Venus (circle-to-circle) interplanetary transfer, and a locally optimal Solar System escape trajectory. For example, assuming a characteristic acceleration of 1 mm/s², an optimal Earth–Venus transfer may be completed within about 380 days.     

太阳帆推进

太阳帆依靠反射太阳光光子产生推力,在飞行任务的整个过程推力连续作用于飞行器上而不需要任何推进剂。太阳帆可广泛应用于低成本大速度增量的太阳系飞行任务,具有其它推进系统无法替代的优点。简要介绍了太阳帆推进的机理及研究现状,给出了太阳帆飞行器的主要性能参数及需要解决的主要技术关键。     

Sensitivity studies of the deployment of a square inflatable solar sail with vanes

This paper summarizes the results of numerical experiments to determine the sensitivity of the final attitude of an inflatable solar sail with vanes after deployment to various parameters affecting the deployment process. These parameters are: in- and out-of-plane asymmetries during deployment, length inflation profile, and vane deployment failures. We show how robust the sail deployment is to geometric asymmetries before a 35° off-Sun angle is reached. Differential delays in the time to inflate the booms and a boom sweep-back angle affect the stability favorably. Adjacent vane failures to deploy affect the stability unfavorably, while the failure of opposing vanes is acceptable. Realistic boom length rate profiles obtained during ground tests are used in the simulation showing that failing adjacent vanes in conjunction with initial inflation delays in adjacent booms represent the worst case. We also demonstrate that by feeding back attitude and attitude rate measurements so that a corrective action is taken during the deployment, the final attitude can be maintained very close to the initial attitude, thus mitigating the attitude changes incurred during deployment.     

Fast solar sail rendezvous mission to near Earth asteroids

The concept of fast solar sail rendezvous missions to near Earth asteroids is presented by considering the hyperbolic launch excess velocity as a design parameter. After introducing an initial constraint on the hyperbolic excess velocity, a time optimal control framework is derived and solved by using an indirect method. The coplanar circular orbit rendezvous scenario is investigated first to evaluate the variational trend of the transfer time with respect to different hyperbolic excess velocities and solar sail characteristic accelerations. The influence of the asteroid orbital inclination and eccentricity on the transfer time is studied in a parametric way. The optimal direction and magnitude of the hyperbolic excess velocity are identified via numerical simulations. The found results for coplanar circular scenarios are compared in terms of fuel consumption to the corresponding bi-impulsive transfer of the same flight time, but without using a solar sail. The fuel consumption tradeoff between the required hyperbolic excess velocity and the achievable flight time is discussed. The required total launch mass for a particular solar sail is derived in analytical form. A practical mission application is proposed to rendezvous with the asteroid 99942 Apophis by using a solar sail in combination with the provided hyperbolic excess velocity.     

太阳帆航天器姿态控制技术综述

太阳帆作为一种无工质消耗的新型航天器推进技术,逐渐受到国内外航天界的广泛关注。文章首先综述了太阳帆航天器控制技术的发展现状,重点分析了太阳帆航天器姿态控制技术的特点和难点;其次,按照执行机构的不同,分别介绍了近年来国内外航天领域提出的多种太阳帆航天器姿态控制方案,针对各个方案的优缺点加以分析;最后,对该领域未来的发展前景进行了展望。     

Calculation of resultant vector and principal moment of light pressure forces acting upon the spacecraft with a solar sail

Two methods of calculating the resultant vector and principal moment of light pressure forces, having an effect on a spacecraft with a composite solar sail, are compared. The first method is based on analytical formulas obtained without regard to shading of some parts of the sail by others. The second method uses a detailed geometrical model of the sail, which allows one to take such shading into account. Some part of photons falling on a sail is supposed to be reflected from it in a mirror manner, while the others are completely absorbed. The range of variation of sail orientation parameters with respect to incident solar light streams, where the first method turns out to be accurate enough, is found.     

太阳帆推进技术研究现状及其关键技术分析

详细阐述太阳帆推进技术作为深空探测的技术方面的应用优势、技术特征、工作原理,总结了国外对太阳帆推进技术研究的历史发展和研究现状,并对太阳帆推进的关键技术进行分析,在此基础上,提出了我国发展太阳帆相关推进技术的必要性、发展策略和途径。     

Effect of a drag force due to absorption of solar radiation on solar sail orbital dynamics

While solar electromagnetic radiation can be used to propel a solar sail, it is shown that the Poynting–Robertson effect related to the absorbed portion of the radiation leads to a drag force in the transversal direction. The Poynting–Robertson effect is considered for escape trajectories, Heliocentric bound orbits and non-Keplerian bound orbits. For escape trajectories, this drag force diminishes the cruising velocity, which has a cumulative effect on the Heliocentric distance. For Heliocentric and non-Keplerian bound orbits, the Poynting–Robertson effect decreases its orbital speed, thereby causing it to slowly spiral towards the Sun. Since the Poynting–Robertson effect is due to the absorbed portion of the electromagnetic radiation, degradation of a solar sail implies that this effect becomes enhanced during a mission.     

NanoSail-D: A solar sail demonstration mission

In the early to mid-2000s, NASA made substantial progress in the development of solar sail propulsion systems. Solar sail propulsion uses the solar radiation pressure exerted by the momentum transfer of reflected photons to generate a net force on a spacecraft. To date, solar sail propulsion systems were designed for large robotic spacecraft. Recently, however, NASA has been investigating the application of solar sails for small satellite propulsion. The NanoSail-D is a subscale solar sail system designed for possible small spacecraft applications. The NanoSail-D mission flew on board the ill-fated Falcon Rocket launched August 2, 2008, and due to the failure of that rocket, never achieved orbit. The NanoSail-D flight spare is ready for flight and a suitable launch arrangement is being actively pursued. This paper will present an introduction solar sail propulsion systems and an overview of the NanoSail-D spacecraft.     

人工拉格朗日点附近的被动稳定飞行

利用太阳帆能在三体问题中实现人工拉格朗日点,人工拉格朗日点克服了经典拉格朗日点位置固定的缺点,研究人工拉格朗日点的被动控制对深空探测有重要的意义。理论上人工拉格朗日点都不稳定,研究表明在被动控制下存在某些人工拉格朗日点的稳定特性与稳定平衡点非常接近,在工程上可以认为稳定。被动控制可以通过设计太阳帆来实现,本文给出了被动稳定太阳帆的设计,在该设计下考虑轨道和姿态的耦合动力学方程。基于该耦合方程研究了人工拉格朗日点的稳定性。仿真结果表明被动太阳帆使得人工拉格朗日点稳定。     

太阳帆绕地球周期轨道研究

  地球同步和太阳同步卫星在各个领域有着广泛的应用。静止轨道是一种特殊的地球同步轨道,轨道资源有限。利用化学推进或电推进可以实现轨道高度不同的同步轨道,如悬挂轨道,但需要消耗较多的燃料,工程上无法承受。本文考虑利用太阳帆实现地球同步和太阳同步轨道。太阳光压力在轨道平面内沿拱线方向,选择光压力与平面的夹角使得轨道平面的旋转速率与太阳光同步。研究表明,设计合适的半长轴和偏心率可以使得轨道旋转速率与地球自转速率一致。假设太阳光与赤道平面平行,可以得到准静止轨道,太阳帆将在传统静止轨道的附近运动,星下点的经度将在一个固定值附近振动。实际上太阳光是与黄道面平行,黄道面与赤道面之间存在夹角。考虑黄赤交角的情况下,太阳帆将在一定纬度和经度范围内运动。适合于对某个区域进行长期观测任务。     

Benefits and risks of using electrodynamic tethers to de-orbit spacecraft

By using electrodynamic drag to greatly increase the orbital decay rate, an electrodynamic space tether can remove spent or dysfunctional spacecraft from low Earth orbit (LEO) rapidly and safely. Moreover, the low mass requirements of such tether devices make them highly advantageous compared to conventional rocket-based de-orbit systems. However, a tether system is much more vulnerable to space debris impacts than a typical spacecraft and its design must be proved to be safe up to a certain confidence level before being adopted for potential applications. To assess space debris related concerns, in March 2001 a new task (Action Item 19.1) on the “Potential Benefits and Risks of Using Electrodynamic Tethers for End-of-life De-orbit of LEO Spacecraft” was defined by the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC). Two tests were proposed to compute the fatal impact rate of meteoroids and orbital debris on space tethers in circular orbits, at different altitudes and inclinations, as a function of the tether diameter to assess the survival probability of an electrodynamic tether system during typical de-orbiting missions. IADC members from three agencies, the Italian Space Agency (ASI), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), participated in the study and different computational approaches were specifically developed within the framework of the IADC task. This paper summarizes the content of the IADC AI 19.1 Final Report. In particular, it introduces the potential benefits and risks of using tethers in space, it describes the assumptions made in the study plan, it compares and discusses the results obtained by ASI, JAXA and NASA for the two tests proposed. Some general conclusions and recommendations are finally extrapolated from this massive and intensive piece of research.     

Station keeping of a solar sail around a Halo orbit

Solar sails are a concept of spacecraft propulsion that takes advantage of solar radiation pressure to propel a spacecraft. Although the thrust provided by a solar sail is small it is constant and unlimited. This offers the chance to deal with novel mission concept. In this work we want to discuss the controllability of a spacecraft around a Halo orbit by means of a solar sail. We will describe the natural dynamics for a solar sail around a Halo orbit. By natural dynamics we mean the behaviour of the trajectory of a solar sail when no control on the sail orientation is applied. We will then discuss how a sequence of changes on the sail orientation will affects the sail's trajectory, and we will use this information to derive efficient station keeping strategies. Finally we will check the robustness of these strategies including different sources of errors in our simulations.     

The Aurora project: A new sail layout

Aurora spacecraft is a scientific probe propelled by a “fast” solar sail whose first goal is to perform a technology assessment mission. The main characteristic of the sail is its low mass, which implies the absence of a plastic backing of the aluminum film and the lightness of the whole structure. In previous structural studies the limiting factor has been shown to be the elastic stability of a number of structural members subject to compressive loads. An alternative structural layout is here suggested: an inflatable beam, which is kept pressurized also after the deployment, relieves all compressive stresses, allowing a very simple configuration and a straightforward deployment procedure. However, as the mission profile requires a trajectory passing close to the Sun, a configuration different from the ‘parachute’ sail proposed in another paper, must be used.     

Extrasolar solar-sail trajectories and dark matter

Hyper-thin, high-speed solar-photon sail space probes exploring the Sun?s Oort comet cloud could also be used to set an upper bound to the concentration of WIMPS (weakly interacting massive particles), one of the suggested (but unconfirmed) forms of dark matter within the vicinity of the solar system. Newton?s Shell Theorem would be applied to determine variations in apparent solar mass as the probe moves further out from the Sun. Application of this technique to the trajectories of Pioneer 10/11 reveals that the upper limit to WIMP concentration within ~60 AU of the Sun is ~0.2 Earth masses, as revealed in studies of the Pioneer Anomaly. If the published accuracy of the Pioneer acceleration measurements can be increased by an order of magnitude, probe trajectory measurements out to ~10,000 AU may confirm or falsify the hypothesis that WIMP mass within the solar vicinity is ~3X star mass. It is shown that a space-manufactured ~40-nm thick beryllium hollow-body solar sail deployed from a ~0.07 AU perihelion is a candidate spacecraft for such a mission. Possible science-team organization strategy for a ~100-year mission to ~10,000 AU is discussed.     

一种冷热交变环境下太阳帆应力保持方法

针对冷热交变环境导致太阳帆内部应力剧烈变化的问题,基于形状记忆合金(SMA)弹簧提出了太阳帆的张拉方案和薄膜应力保持恒定的方法,该方法利用形状记忆合金在高低温下的刚度非线性特性,有效补偿薄膜和支撑杆之间的间隙变化,以使薄膜内部应力基本保持恒定。针对六边形构型太阳帆开展了数值仿真,首先建立了太阳帆的热分析模型和力学分析模型,获取了高低温工况下的温度场。然后通过热致变形分析得到薄膜与支撑杆在高低温工况下的间隙变化,据此确定形状记忆合金弹簧的参数。最后对太阳帆在高低温工况下的薄膜内部应力进行了验证。     

The AURORA Project: Removal of plastic substrate to obtain an all-metal solar sail

The Orbital Angular Momentum Reversal (H-Reversal mode), is a new class of trajectories to get a cruise speed ranging from 12 to 20 AU/yr. To accomplish the H-reversal mode, a sailcraft needs of all metal solar sail. The solar sail envisaged by the “AURORA Project” is composed of two metallic layers (AI and Cr) deposited on plastic substrate. To obtain an all metal solar sail, required by the Project, the substrate must be removed in orbit. In order to accomplish that, two possible methods are described in this paper. The first one is based on the UV degradation of a buffer layer located between the substrate and the metallic layers. The UV degradation would be the starting mechanism that causes the interface weakness. The Diamond Like Carbon has been used as buffer layer and preliminary experimental results on its UV degradation are reported. The second method exploits the characteristic of most plastics to be etched (ashing process) by the atomic oxygen. The number density of atomic oxygen in Low Earth Orbit could be enough to remove a properly-selected plastic substrate in Short time.     

A lunar-based spacecraft propulsion concept—The ion beam sail

We describe a concept for spacecraft propulsion by means of an energetic ion beam, with the ion source fixed at the spacecraft starting point (e.g., a lunar-based ion beam generator) and not onboard the vessel. This approach avoids the substantial mass penalty associated with the onboard ion source and power supply hardware, and vastly more energetic ion beam systems can be entertained. We estimate the ion beam parameters required for various scenarios and consider some of the constraints limiting the concept. We find that the “ion beam sail” approach can be viable and attractive for journey distances not too great, for example, within the Earth–Moon system, and could potentially provide support for journeys to the inner planets.