Accurate approximation of in-ecliptic trajectories for E-sail with constant pitch angle

Propellantless continuous-thrust propulsion systems, such as electric solar wind sails, may be successfully used for new space missions, especially those requiring high-energy orbit transfers. When the mass-to-thrust ratio is sufficiently large, the spacecraft trajectory is characterized by long flight times with a number of revolutions around the Sun. The corresponding mission analysis, especially when addressed within an optimal context, requires a significant amount of simulation effort. Analytical trajectories are therefore useful aids in a preliminary phase of mission design, even though exact solution are very difficult to obtain. The aim of this paper is to present an accurate, analytical, approximation of the spacecraft trajectory generated by an electric solar wind sail with a constant pitch angle, using the latest mathematical model of the thrust vector. Assuming a heliocentric circular parking orbit and a two-dimensional scenario, the simulation results show that the proposed equations are able to accurately describe the actual spacecraft trajectory for a long time interval when the propulsive acceleration magnitude is sufficiently small.     

大型太阳帆板展开状态动态特性研究

利用有限元技术及自编的 FORTRAN程序计算了单翼太阳帆板约束模态的振型和频率 ,计算结果和实验结果比较表明 ,计算精度在工程上是可以接受的。在此基础上 ,以飞船带有双翼对称太阳帆板为模型 ,计算了太阳帆板在转动和不转动情况下非约束模态的振型和频率。上述计算结果为研究带有挠性太阳帆板的航天器的动力学与控制问题打下了基础     

Optimal nodal flyby with near-Earth asteroids using electric sail

The aim of this paper is to quantify the performance of an Electric Solar Wind Sail for accomplishing flyby missions toward one of the two orbital nodes of a near-Earth asteroid. Assuming a simplified, two-dimensional mission scenario, a preliminary mission analysis has been conducted involving the whole known population of those asteroids at the beginning of the 2013 year. The analysis of each mission scenario has been performed within an optimal framework, by calculating the minimum-time trajectory required to reach each orbital node of the target asteroid. A considerable amount of simulation data have been collected, using the spacecraft characteristic acceleration as a parameter to quantify the Electric Solar Wind Sail propulsive performance. The minimum time trajectory exhibits a different structure, which may or may not include a solar wind assist maneuver, depending both on the Sun-node distance and the value of the spacecraft characteristic acceleration. Simulations show that over 60% of near-Earth asteroids can be reached with a total mission time less than 100 days, whereas the entire population can be reached in less than 10 months with a spacecraft characteristic acceleration of 1 mm/s².     

太阳帆技术综述

文章简要阐述了太阳帆的概念、主要结构和技术，参考美国L’Garde公司的太阳帆展开设计，对涉及的充气及刚化予以概述，为研究分析太阳帆的展开技术提供借鉴。     

A deployable mast for solar sails in the range of 100–1000 m

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new deployable mast design that may provide a means to scale up solar sails to very large dimensions. The paper describes the basic analytical approach for truss beams, compares this new design with the state-of-art truss used in NASA’s solar sail development work, and provides analyses of novel applications enabled by the mast design.     

太阳帆技术综述

文章简要阐述了太阳帆的概念、主要结构和技术,参考美国L’Garde公司的太阳帆展开设计,对涉及的充气及刚化予以概述,为研究分析太阳帆的展开技术提供借鉴。     

一种带帆板挠性的控制系统分析和设计

分析了一种卫星太阳帆板结构挠性对姿态控制系统稳定性影响的问题;给出了带挠性的控制系统仿真与设计方法。试验结果表明,通过合理的设计可以减小挠性对卫星姿态稳定性的影响,提高系统的控制精度。