We present a method for designing and optimizing Earth-Mars cycler orbits for the Solar System Pony Express (SSPE) mission concept. The SSPE is aimed at augmenting the capabilities of the Deep Space Network (DSN) by enabling high latency and high bandwidth communications through the use of interplanetary data mules. The SSPE will leverage a network of smallsats, outfitted with optical laser communications, and by exploiting cycler orbits the SSPE will make flybys of Mars at least once a year, retrieving 1-3 petabits of data per flyby from missions already operating at the planet. This data will then be downlinked to Earth during the next Earth flyby, also occurring about once a year. The SSPE satellites are launched as a rideshare payload with another Mars-bound mission. Each courier satellite flying in the SSPE network is equipped with a low-thrust propulsion system that is used for cycler orbit injection and for targeting flybys of Earth and Mars. Cycler orbits are first computed using a patched conic approximation and impulsive thrust. These candidate solutions are then transitioned into a higherfidelity ephemeris model, and using an indirect optimization method, fuel-optimal low-thrust transfers are computed between each pair of flybys. We present a highfidelity candidate solution where a 500 kg courier spacecraft is inserted into an Earth-Mars cycler orbit using only 36 kg of propellant, and a further 2 kg of propellant is required to target eight subsequent flybys over a period of six years. This is very feasible from a mission design perspective and it also demonstrates that solutions obtained in the patched conics model can be successfully transitioned to the ephemeris model using low-thrust propulsion.
LOW-THRUST TRAJECTORY OPTIMIZATION FOR THE SOLAR SYSTEM PONY EXPRESS
Proceedings of the 44th Annual American Astronautical Society Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, 2022 ; Chapter : 4 ; 45-61
2024-01-01
17 pages
Article/Chapter (Book)
Electronic Resource
English
Low-thrust trajectory optimization for the solar system pony express
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