Abstract In this paper we have considered the movement of a solar sail in the Sun-Earth system. As a model we have used the restricted three-body problem adding the solar radiation pressure. It can be seen that we have a two-dimensional family of equilibria parameterized by the two angles defining the sail’s orientation. Most of these equilibrium points are unstable and require a control strategy to keep the sail close to them. We have designed a control strategy that uses the knowledge of the position of the invariant manifolds and how they vary when the sail orientation is changed. We have tested our strategy with two known missions: the Polar Observer and the Geostorm Warning Mission. Simulations of up to 30 years have been performed taking into account errors on the position and velocity determination of the sail and on the sail’s orientation.
A dynamical system approach for the station keeping of a solar sail
2008
Article (Journal)
English
A Dynamical System Approach for the Station Keeping of a Solar Sail
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