Abstract Solar sails are an attractive technology for propellant-free propulsion, especially in small satellites with tight power and mass budgets. Several recent missions have shown promising applications of solar sails for nanosatellite orbital control in low Earth orbit (LEO). They enable easier access to and removal from high-altitude orbits. Since solar radiation pressure produces torques in addition to forces, a solar sail can also be used for low-power attitude control. Few missions have exploited this effect. In response, this paper proposes a new nanosatellite mission concept, only achievable by combined orbit-attitude control via solar sail: the sunflower mission, for high-altitude wide-area Earth observation. A realistic sail design meeting the mission requirements is obtained via parametric analysis and comprehensive review of past missions. A pyramid-shaped sail is proposed for the mission, and its advantages and drawbacks are analysed. The dynamics are evaluated using a high-fidelity numerical simulator with all relevant physical perturbations in LEO. The imaging objectives are successfully achieved over a multi-year duration. The sail also provides propellant-free orbit insertion from a low-altitude launch orbit, and fast de-orbit at end-of-life. It uses less power and has a smaller stowed size than several competitor technologies for orbit-attitude control of LEO nanosatellites.
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Highlights Sunflower mission proposed for wide-area small satellite Earth observation in LEO. A pyramid-shaped solar sail provides low-power orbit and attitude control. Propellant-free orbit raising from a low deployment altitude reduces launch cost. Passive Sun pointing enables low-power attitude control for remote sensing. Propellant-free orbit lowering enables quick de-orbit at end-of-life.
Sunflower mission concept for high-altitude earth observation in LEO via nanosatellite with pyramidal solar sail
Acta Astronautica ; 213 ; 516-536
2023-09-16
21 pages
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
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