Orbital dynamics of high area-to-mass ratio spacecraft under the influence of J 2 and solar radiation pressure

This paper investigates the effect of planetary oblateness and solar radiation pressure on the orbit of high area-to-mass spacecraft. A planar Hamiltonian model shows the existence of equilibrium orbits with the orbit apogee pointing towards or away from the Sun. These solutions are numerically continued to non-zero inclinations and considering the obliquity of the ecliptic plane relative to the equator. Quasi-frozen orbits are identified in eccentricity, inclination and angle between the Sun-line and the orbit perigee. The long-term evolution of these orbits is then verified through numerical integration. A set of 'heliotropic' orbits with apogee pointing in direction of the Sun is proposed for enhancing imaging and telecommunication on the day side of the Earth. The effects of J 2 and solar radiation pressure are exploited to obtain a passive rotation of the apsides line following the Sun; moreover the effect of solar radiation pressure enables such orbits at higher eccentricities with respect to the J 2 only case. Copyright ©2011 by Dr Camilla Colombo. Published by the IAF, with permission and released to the IAF to publish in all forms.