A formulation of the perturbed two-body problem that relies on a new set of orbital elements is presented. The proposed method represents a generalization of the special perturbation method published by Pelaez et al. (Celest Mech Dyn Astron 97(2): 131-150, 2007) for the case of a perturbing force that is partially or totally derivable from a potential. We accomplish this result by employing a generalized Sundman time transformation in the framework of the projective decomposition, which is a known approach for transforming the two-body problem into a set of linear and regular differential equations of motion. Numerical tests, carried out with examples extensively used in the literature, show the remarkable improvement of the performance of the new method for different kinds of perturbations and eccentricities. In particular, one notable result is that the quadratic dependence of the position error on the time-like argument exhibited by Pelaez's method for near-circular motion under the J2 perturbation is transformed into linear. Moreover, the method reveals to be competitive with two very popular element methods derived from the Kustaanheimo-Stiefel and SperlingBurdet regularizations.
International audienceAn analytical solution of the two body problem perturbed by a constant tangential acceleration is derived with the aid of perturbation theory. The solution, which is valid for circular and elliptic orbits with generic eccentricity, describes the instantaneous time variation of all orbital elements. A comparison with high-accuracy numerical results shows that the analytical method can be effectively applied to multiple-revolution low-thrust orbit transfer around planets and in interplanetary space with negligible error
We propose two time elements for the orbit propagator named Dromo. One is linear and the other constant with respect to the independent variable, which coincides with the osculating true anomaly in the Keplerian motion. They are defined from a generalized Kepler's equation written for negative values of the total energy and, unlike the few existing time elements of this kind, are free of singularities. To our knowledge it is the first time that a constant time element is associated with a second-order Sundman time transformation. Numerical tests to assess the performance of the Dromo method equipped with a time element show the remarkable improvement in accuracy for the perturbed bounded motion around the Earth compared to the case in which the physical time is a state variable. Moreover, the method is competitive with and even better than other efficient sets of elements. Finally, we also derive a time element for a null and positive total energy.
Seven spatial elements and a time element are proposed as the state variables of a new special perturbation method for the two-body problem. The new elements hold for zero eccentricity and inclination and for negative values of the total energy. They are developed by combining a spatial transformation into projective coordinates (as in the Burdet-Ferrándiz regularization) with a time transformation in which the exponent of the orbital radius is equal to one instead of two (as commonly done in the literature). By following this approach, we discover a new linearization of the two-body problem, from which the orbital elements can be generated by the variation of parameters method. The geometrical significance of the spatial quantities is revealed by a new intermediate frame which differs from a local vertical local horizontal frame by one rotation in the instantaneous orbital plane. Four elements parametrize the attitude in space of this frame, which in turn defines the orientation of the orbital plane and fixes the departure direction for the longitude of the propagated body. The remaining three elements determine the motion along the radial unit vector and the orbital longitude. The performance of the method, tested using a series of benchmark orbit propagation scenarios, is extremely good when compared to several regularized formulations, some of which have been modified and improved here for the first time.
We present an efficient strategy for the numerical propagation of small Solar System objects undergoing close encounters with massive bodies. The trajectory is split in several phases, each of them being the solution of a perturbed two-body problem. Formulations regularized with respect to different primaries are employed in two subsequent phases. In particular, we consider the Kustaanheimo-Stiefel regularization and a novel set of non-singular orbital elements pertaining to the Dromo family. In order to test the proposed strategy, we perform ensemble propagations in the Earth-Sun CR3BP using a variable step-size and order multi-step integrator and an improved version of Everhart's radau solver of 15 th order. By combining the trajectory splitting with regularized equations of motion in short-term propagations (one year), we gain up to six orders of magnitude in accuracy with respect to the classical Cowell's method for the same computational cost. Moreover, in the propagation of asteroid (99942) Apophis through its 2029 Earth encounter, the position error stays within 100 meters after 100 years. In general, as to improve the performance of regularized formulations, the trajectory must be split between 1.2 and 3 Hill radii from the Earth. We also devise a robust iterative algorithm to stop the integration of regularized equations of motion at a prescribed physical time. The results rigorously hold in the CR3BP, and similar considerations may apply when considering more complex models. The methods and algorithms are implemented in the Naples Fortran 2003 code, which is available online as a GitHub repository.
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