Abstract. The asteroid 2001SN263 is one of the possible targets of a proposed mission that would be the first Brazilian exploration in deep space, the Aster Mission. This asteroid is composed by three bodies: Alpha, Beta, and Gamma, in decreasing order of mass. For this study, it is proposed to split this triple system in two double systems: Alpha-Beta-spacecraft and Alpha-Gammaspacecraft, all of them considered to be points of mass, such that it is possible to use the circular planar restricted three-body problem as the mathematical model. The goal is to find orbits that can be used by a spacecraft to observe the bodies Beta and Gamma. Each orbit can be identified by the initial conditions of the spacecraft with respect to Beta or Gamma: position and velocity. These orbits are classified by the minimum average distance spacecraft-celestial body. The results showed stable orbits around Beta and Gamma, with an average distance below 1.5 km, under the influence of the gravity of Alpha and the solar radiation pressure.
In this paper we search for mid-range planar orbits for a spacecraft traveling in the neighborhood of Deimos. The first task is to perform a numerical search to find and classify mid-range natural orbits around Deimos that are dominated by Mars, using the idea of “Quasi Satellite Orbits” (QSO). The influence of the eccentricity of the orbit of Deimos around Mars and the irregular shape of Mars are considered in the mathematical model, allowing an assessment of their importance. Our approach uses two different initial positions for Deimos in its orbit around Mars, at apoapsis and periapsis. The minimum, maximum, and average Deimos-spacecraft distances are also obtained.
The main goal of the present paper is to show how to form a constellation of small satellites when all small satellites leave from a larger spacecraft. It is assumed that they will all stay in a planar formation, in the same orbital plane of the mother spacecraft, just dispersed in terms of mean anomaly. Initially, it is considered that the larger satellite orbits the Earth in an almost circular orbit with 2000 km of altitude. Then, a search for initial conditions of the small satellite is performed to find the best ones to move it away from the larger satellite such that it is allocated in a co-orbital orbit with respect to the larger satellite. These initial conditions should minimize the consumption of an impulsive maneuver required to move away the small satellite from the large one to put it in course to its final orbit, trying to make the best use of the most relevant perturbations, such as the solar radiation pressure and the oblateness of the Earth. In a second study, we will analyze the influence of the solar radiation pressure, depending on the A/m ratio of the spacecraft, in the trajectories.
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