Satellites in the gravitational field of the moon

Expressions are derived correct to the first order in the ellipticities of the Moon for the radial shift and the rotation of the unperturbed orbit of a close satellite in the plane of its instantaneous motion. Criteria for the rotation to be a libration lead to the existence of a critical range of values of orbital inclination as against a single value cos^?1 (·2)^1/2=63·4° quoted for the Earth satellites. It appears that mean radial shift and the perturbation in the period of the satellite, also possess similar ranges. The perturbation in the velocity vector is then analysed and it is shown that the angle between the unperturbed and real trajectories vanishes only at points where the radial distance of the satellite from the selenocentre attains extreme values. The interesting case of nearly circular trajectories is considered next in some detail. It is deduced that the critical inclination for the orbital libration is given byα=60° for an Earth satellite in this case. The paper concludes with numerical results based on Jeffreys’ estimates.     

Non-linear oscillations of a satellite at 1:1:1 resonance

The motion of a satellite about its centre of mass in a central Newtonian gravitational field is investigated. The satellite is considered to be a dynamically symmetrical rigid body. It is assumed that the ratio of the polar and equatorial principal central moments of inertia of the satellite is 4/3, or close to this. The orbit of the centre of mass is elliptic, and the orbit eccentricity is assumed to be small. In the limit case, when the orbit of the centre of mass is circular, a steady motion exists (corresponding to relative equilibrium of the satellite in the orbital system of coordinates) in which the axis of dynamic symmetry is directed along the velocity vector of the centre of mass of the satellite; here, the frequencies of the small linear oscillations of the axis of symmetry are equal or close to one another. But in an elliptic orbit of small eccentricity, multiple 1:1:1 resonance occurs in this case, as the oscillation frequencies mentioned are equal or close to the frequency of motion of the centre of mass of the satellite in orbit. The non-linear problem of the existence, bifurcations and stability of periodic motions of the satellite with a period equal to the rotation period of its centre of mass in orbit is investigated.     

Linear problems of the stability of a type of rotation of a satellite about the centre of mass

The stability in the first approximation of the rotation of a satellite about a centre of mass is investigated. In the unperturbed motion the satellite performs, in absolute space, three rotations around the normal to the orbital plane in a time equal to two periods of rotation of its centre of mass in the orbit (Mercury-type rotation). Three cases of such rotations are considered: the rotations of a dynamically symmetrical satellite and a satellite, the central ellipsoid of inertia of which is close to a sphere, in an elliptic orbit of arbitrary eccentricity, and the rotation of a satellite with three different principal central moments of inertia in a circular orbit.     

Transient times,resonances and drifts of attractors in dissipative rotational dynamics

In a dissipative system the time to reach an attractor is often influenced by the peculiarities of the model and in particular by the strength of the dissipation. As a dissipative model we consider the spin–orbit problem providing the dynamics of a triaxial satellite orbiting around a central planet and affected by tidal torques. The model is ruled by the oblateness parameter of the satellite, the orbital eccentricity, the dissipative parameter and the drift term. We devise a method which provides a reliable indication on the transient time which is needed to reach an attractor in the spin–orbit model; the method is based on an analytical result, precisely a suitable normal form construction. This method provides also information about the frequency of motion. A variant of such normal form used to parameterize invariant attractors provides a specific formula for the drift parameter, which in turn yields a constraint – which might be of interest in astronomical problems – between the oblateness of the satellite and its orbital eccentricity.     

High-order solutions around triangular libration points in the elliptic restricted three-body problem and applications to low energy transfers

High-order series expansions around triangular libration points in the elliptic restricted three-body problem (ERTBP) are constructed first, and then with the aid of the series solutions, two-impulse and low-thrust low energy transfers to the triangular point orbits of the Earth–Moon system are designed in this paper. The equations of motion of ERTBP in the pulsating synodic reference frame have the same symmetries as the ones in circular restricted three-body problem (CRTBP), and also have five equilibrium points. Considering the stable dynamics of triangular libration points, the analytical solutions of the motion around them in ERTBP are expressed as formal series of four amplitudes: the orbital eccentricity of the primary, the long, short and vertical periodic amplitudes. The series expansions truncated at arbitrary order are constructed by means of Lindstedt–Poincaré method, and then the quasi-periodic orbits around triangular libration points in ERTBP can all be parameterized. In particular, when the eccentricity of the primary is zero, the series expansions constructed can be reduced to describe the motion around triangular libration points in CRTBP. In order to check the validity of the series expansions constructed, the domain of convergence corresponding to different orders is studied by using numerical integration. After obtaining the analytical solutions of the bounded orbits around triangular points, the target orbits in practical missions can be expressed by several related parameters. Thanks to the series expansions constructed, two missions are planned to transfer a spacecraft from the Earth to the short periodic orbits around triangular libration points of Earth–Moon system. To complete the missions with less fuel cost, low energy transfers (two-impulse and low-thrust) are investigated by means of numerical optimization methods (both global and local optimization techniques). Simulation results indicate that (a) the low-thrust, low energy transfers outperform the corresponding two-impulse, low energy transfers in terms of propellant fraction, and (b) compared with the traditional Hohmann-like transfers, both the two-impulse, low energy and low-thrust, low energy transfers perform very efficiently, at the cost of flight time.     

Bifurcations of periodic solutions near triangular libration points in the three-body problem

We consider the problem on bifurcations of periodic solutions near triangular libration points in the plane elliptic bounded three-body problem. We determine values of the mass parameter such that at small values of the eccentricity the problem has non-stationary periodic solutions close to a libration point. We determine bifurcation types and study the asymptotic formulas for the mentioned solutions.     

The periodic motions of a non-autonomous Hamiltonian system with two degrees of freedom at parametric resonance of the fundamental type

The motion of an almost autonomous Hamiltonian system with two degrees of freedom, 2π-periodic in time, is considered. It is assumed that the origin is an equilibrium position of the system, the linearized unperturbed system is stable, and its characteristic exponents ±iωj (j = 1,2) are pure imaginary. In addition, it is assumed that the number 2ω₁ is approximately an integer, that is, the system exhibits parametric resonance of the fundamental type. Using Poincaré's theory of periodic motion and KAM-theory, it is shown that 4π-periodic motions of the system exist in a fairly small neighbourhood of the origin, and their bifurcation and stability are investigated. As applications, periodic motions are constructed in cases of parametric resonance of the fundamental type in the following problems: the plane elliptical restricted three-body problem near triangular libration points, and the problem of the motion of a dynamically symmetrical artificial satellite near its cylindrical precession in an elliptical orbit of small eccentricity.     

The stability of the relative equilibrium in an Earth–Moon orbital station system with a small reactive acceleration

The problem of stabilizing the relative equilibrium of an orbital station in an Earth–Moon system by imparting a small constant-modulus acceleration with constant orientation of its vector with respect to the body of the station, which is assumed to be a rigid body of variable mass, is considered. It is shown that, in the case of a small displacement of the centre of mass of the station (by means of a small reactive acceleration) with respect to the collinear libration point beyond the Moon, its relative equilibrium position can become stable by virtue of the equations of the first approximation.     

On the stability of resonant rotation of a symmetric satellite in an elliptical orbit

We deal with the stability problem of resonant rotation of a symmetric rigid body about its center of mass in an elliptical orbit. The resonant rotation is a planar motion such that the body completes one rotation in absolute space during two orbital revolutions of its center of mass. In [1–3] the stability analysis of the above resonant rotation with respect to planar perturbations has been performed in detail.In this paper we study the stability of the resonant rotation in an extended formulation taking into account both planar and spatial perturbations. By analyzing linearized equations of perturbed motion, we found eccentricity intervals, where the resonant rotation is unstable. Outside of these intervals a nonlinear stability study has been performed and subintervals of formal stability and stability for most initial data have been found. In addition, the instability of the resonant rotation was established at several eccentricity values corresponding to the third and fourth order resonances.Our study has also shown that in linear approximation the spatial perturbations have no effect on the stability of the resonant rotation, whereas in a nonlinear system they can lead to its instability at some resonant values of the eccentricity.     

Stabilization of collinear libration points in the earth-moon system

The translational-rotational motion of an orbital station in the Earth-Moon system is investigated. The orbital station is regarded as a body of variable composition with a solid shell and a low-thrust jet engine placed on it, having constant autonomous orientation in a system of coordinates rotating with the Moon. It is shown that, by means of a reaction acceleration of small and constant modulus, one can stabilize both the new libration points themselves and the positions of relative equilibrium of the orbital station. Each value of the reaction acceleration, depending on its orientation, corresponds to a whole family of libration points, surrounding the classical collinear point, but only some of them can be stable. It is shown that, when the ellipticity of the Moon's orbit is taken into account, periodic translational-rotational motions of the orbital station in the neighbourhood of these points can occur with a period equal to the period of rotation of the Moon.     

The effect of the elasticity of an orbital tether system on the oscillations of a satellite

An orbital tether system, including a satellite (a rigid body), an elastic ponderable tether and a terminal load, is investigated. A mathematical model is obtained using Lagrange's equation of the second kind, which enables the plane translational motion of the centres of mass of the elements of the system and the rotational motion of the satellite and the tether to be investigated. It is shown that the equations of motion for the new independent variable, that is, the true anomaly angle, obtained on the assumption that the motion of the centre of mass of the system is independent of the relative motion of its elements, are an extension of the known mathematical models. The effect of the elasticity of the tether on the angular oscillations of the tether and the satellite is investigated. The model constructed can be used both to analyse of the deployment of a tether system as well as to investigate of the combined behaviour of a satellite and a tether about the natural centres of mass.     

一种便于摄动分析的编队飞行卫星相对运动的描述

定义了一组参数来描述卫星编队飞行的相对运动,称为相对轨道要素．利用它可以方便地分析摄动对相对轨道构形的影响以及卫星编队队形的几何特点．首先,对相对轨道要素给予了详细的推导,指出当主星偏心率为小量时,在主星轨道坐标系中相对轨道是一椭圆柱和一平面相交所得的交线,用描述该椭圆柱和平面的参数即可确定相对轨道构形,进而提出了相对轨道要素．其次,利用相对轨道要素对相对轨道进行地球扁率摄动分析,指出相对轨道构形的变化由两部分组成:一是椭圆柱的漂移导致相对轨道中心的漂移,二是平面法线的章动和进动引起相对轨道平面转动,同时还给出了地球扁率摄动下相对轨道构形漂移率及转动率的解析公式．最后,针对J2摄动分析了卫星编队相对轨道构形的变化以及相对轨道构形的漂移量和转动量．     

On the stability of a satellite cylindrical precession in an elliptic orbit : PMM vol. 40, n 6, 1976, pp. 1040–1047

The stability of motion of a dynamically symmetric satellite with respect to its center of mass in a central Newtonian gravitational field is investigated. The satellite is a solid body whose center of mass moves on an elliptic orbit. The particular case in which the satellite axis of symmetry is normal to the orbit plane (the so-called cylindrical precession [1, 2]) and its absolute angular velocity projection on the axis of symmetry is zero, is examined. Analytical and numerical methods are used. Regions of Liapunov instability and of stability in the first approximation are. obtained in the parameter space of the problem (the inertial parameter and the orbit eccentricity). Detailed nonlinear analysis is carried out in the latter, and the formal stability of the satellite cylindrical precession is proved. The question of stability for the majority of intial conditions is also considered [4].     

Rotations of a near-symmetrical satellite in an elliptical orbit with Mercury-type resonance

The motion of a satellite, i.e., a rigid body, about to the centre of mass under the action of the gravitational moments of a central Newtonian gravitational field in an elliptical orbit of arbitrary eccentricity is investigated. It is assumed that the satellite is almost dynamically symmetrical. Plane periodic motions for which the ratio of the average value of the absolute angular velocity of the satellite to the average motion of its centre of mass is equal to 3/2 (Mercury-type resonance) are examined. An analytic solution of the non-linear problem of the existence of such motions and their stability to plane perturbations is given. In the special case in which the central ellipsoid of inertia of the satellite is almost spherical, the stability to spatial perturbations is also examined, but only in a linear approximation. ©2008.     

A Study of the Motions of an Autonomous Hamiltonian System at a 1:1 Resonance

We examine the motions of an autonomous Hamiltonian system with two degrees of freedom in a neighborhood of an equilibrium point at a 1:1 resonance. It is assumed that the matrix of linearized equations of perturbed motion is reduced to diagonal form and the equilibrium is linearly stable. As an illustration, we consider the problem of the motion of a dynamically symmetric rigid body (satellite) relative to its center of mass in a central Newtonian gravitational field on a circular orbit in a neighborhood of cylindrical precession. The abovementioned resonance case takes place for parameter values corresponding to the spherical symmetry of the body, for which the angular velocity of proper rotation has the same value and direction as the angular velocity of orbital motion of the radius vector of the center of mass. For parameter values close to the resonance point, the problem of the existence, bifurcations and orbital stability of periodic rigid body motions arising from a corresponding relative equilibrium of the reduced system is solved and issues concerning the existence of conditionally periodic motions are discussed.     

How Many Timesteps for a Cycle? Analysis of the Wisdom-Holman Algorithm

The Wisdom-Holman algorithm is an effective method for numerically solving nearly integrable systems. It takes into account the exact solution of the integrable part. If the nearly integrable system is the solar system, for example, the Wisdom-Holman algorithm uses the solution consisting of Keplerian orbits obtained when the interplanetary interactions are ignored. The effectiveness of the algorithm lies in its ability to take long timesteps. We use the Duffing oscillator and Kepler's problem with forcing to deduce how long those timesteps can be. For nearly Keplerian orbits, the timesteps must be at least six per orbital period even when the orbital eccentricity is zero. High eccentricity of the Keplerian orbits constrains the algorithm and forces it to take shorter timesteps. The analysis is applied to the solar system and other problems.     

卫星编队飞行中C-W方程与轨道根数法的比较

目前卫星编队飞行动力学与控制的研究得到了广泛的重视,这些研究的理论主要是基于描述卫星相对运动的Clohessy-Wiltshire(C-W)方程。但根据特例及定性分析,表明C-W方程在初始条件的选取、解的周期性等方面与实际情况不符,从星的能量也不守恒。以卫星轨道根数为基础,提出了卫星编队飞行中的相对轨道根数法,克服了C-W方程的局限性,物理概念清楚,应用范围广,解的周期性成为自然结论。在主星为小偏心率的情况下,得到了简化的相对运动方程。最后对两种方法进行了比较,指出了C-W方程的局限性及其原因。     

Non-linear oscillations of a 1:1 resonance Hamiltonian system

The non-linear oscillations of an autonomous two-degree-of-freedom Hamiltonian system in the neighbourhood of its stable equilibrium position are considered. It is assumed that the Hamilton function is sign-definite in the neighbourhood of the equilibrium position and that the values of the frequencies of its linear oscillations are equal or close to one another (1:1 resonance). The investigation is carried out using the example of the problem of the motion of a dynamically symmetrical rigid body (satellite) about its centre of mass in a circular orbit in a central Newtonian gravitational field. In this problem there is relative equilibrium of the rigid body in the orbital system of coordinates, for which its axis of dynamic symmetry is directed along the velocity vector of the centre of mass. Resonance occurs when the ratio of the polar and equatorial principal central moments of inertia is equal to 4/3 or is close to it. The problem of the existence, bifurcation and orbital stability of the periodic motions of a rigid body generated from its relative equilibrium is solved. Some aspects of the existence of quasiperiodic motions are also considered.     

Analytic perturbation solutions to the Venusian orbiter due to the nonspherical gravitational potential

The analytic perturbation solutions to the motions of a planetary orbiter given in this paper are effective for 0e1, where e is the orbital eccentricity of the orbiter. In the solution, it is assumed that the rotation of the central body is slow, and its astronomical background is clear. Examples for such planets in the solar system are Venus and Mercury. The perturbation solution is tested numerically on two Venusian orbiters with eccentric orbits, PVO and Magellan, and found to be effective.     

卫星系统中的混沌控制

对于非线性扰动系统对指令信号的跟踪问题,提出解析条件和实现方法.对在反馈中包含线性动力和非线性两部份的非线性扰动设备进行了研究,设备的非线性部份和扰动是未知的但是有界的.提出控制卫星天平动角的算法,用图示对该算法作了说明.