A natural successor in the Shuttle era to many sounding rocket flights is the free-flyer mode of operation, in which the Shuttle Orbiter releases a subsatellite (with payloads), effects a desired separation, and approaches and retrieves the free-layer. The propulsive maneuvers required of the Orbiter by equivalent relative motions obtained through controlled differential drag (via changes in free-layer effective area and/or Orbiter attitude changes) are replaced. Simplified analytical techniques are developed and feasibility is verified.
Propulsion-Free Separation and Rendezvous of Small Shuttle Free-Flyers Using Controlled Differential Drag
1979
11 pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch