Refined Solar Sail Force Model with Mission Application

Mengali, Giovanni; Quarta, Alessandro A.; Circi, Christian; Dachwald, Bernd

doi:10.2514/1.24779

Cited by 54 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…The 2PBVP (or 3PBVP) associated to the variational problem has been solved through a hybrid numerical technique that combines genetic algorithms (to obtain an estimate of the initial adjoint variables), with gradient-based and direct methods to refine the solution [32,33]. A set of canonical units [34] have been used in the integration of the differential equations to reduce their numerical sensitivity.…”

Section: Numerical Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electric Sail Mission Analysis for Outer Solar System Exploration

Quarta

Mengali

2010

Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics

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Missions towards the boundaries of the Solar System require long transfer times and advanced propulsion systems. An interesting option is offered by electric sails, a new propulsion concept that uses the solar wind dynamic pressure for generating a continuous thrust without the need for reaction mass. The aim of this paper is to investigate the performance of such a propulsion system for obtaining escape conditions from the Solar System and planning a mission to reach the heliosphere boundaries. The problem is studied in an optimal framework, by minimizing the time to reach a given solar distance or a given hyperbolic excess speed. Depending on the value of the sail characteristic acceleration, it is possible that, in an initial mission phase, the sailcraft may approach the Sun to exploit the increased available thrust due to the growing solar wind electron density. The corresponding optimal trajectory is constrained to not pass inside a heliocentric sphere whose admissible radius is established by thermal constraints. Once the escape condition is met, the sail is jettisoned and the payload alone continues its journey without any propulsion system. A medium performance electric sail is shown to have the potentialities to reach the heliosheath, at a distance of 100 AU, in about fifteen years. Finally, the Interstellar Heliopause Probe mission is used as a reference mission to further quantify the electric sail capabilities for an optimal transfer towards the heliopause nose (200 AU).

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Section: Numerical Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electric Sail Mission Analysis for Outer Solar System Exploration

Quarta

Mengali

2010

Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics

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“…This statement holds both in the context of structural response which is out of the reliable reach of most engineering tools [1], and in that of optical performance which is grossly affected by a number of conditions [2,3,4] which are barely understood. Attention during the engineering of solar sails for more than technological demonstration purposes, therefore, has to be paid to the development of very robust and flexible navigation and control strategies, in order to permit the progressive and adaptive correction of a variety of unforseen differences between modeling and reality.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…p t = 2P cos αa3 sin α (4) in which the optical parameters of Eqs. 1 and 2 have been combined in the resultant coefficients a 1 through a 3 .…”

Section: A Common Models: Variations On the Nominal Optical Force Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Linear Photonic Thrust Model and its Application to the L'Garde Solar Sail Surface

Greschik¹

2013

54th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference

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Some representative options for solar radiation force modeling are reviewed. Chosen as preferred is one achieving a good compromise of accuracy and engineering convenience. Namely, the contributions of diffuse reflectance and of thermal emittance (the former augmenting, the latter normally counteracting the thrust) are dropped from the standard model. The resulting law, referred to here as the linear photonic thrust model, is governed by two complementary optical parameters that, for common surfaces, are trivially interdependent with a simple linear relationship. This model is subsequently used to solve the contour geometry of the surface troughs of the L'Garde solar sail architecture. In the special case when, simplistically, photonic pressure is assumed to be normal to the surface, the trough contour is shown to take the classic catenary (cosh) shape. In the general case when a surface tangential thrust component also arises, the solution which still remains very close to the hyperbolic cosine curve is given in a polynomial form.

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“…By utilizing the Gateway, NASA plans to land the first female astronaut on the Moon by 2024 and aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon by 2028 [3]. As the paradigm for planetary exploration has shifted, many fascinating studies have been conducted on orbital stabilities and low-energy transfers [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. Further details on the relevant literature are left for the readers to discover, as there exists a significant amount of research.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential Launch Opportunities for a SmallSat Mission around the Moon Injected during a Lunar Flyby En Route to Mars

Song

Lee

et al. 2019

Mathematical Problems in Engineering

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In this work, the concept of a multipurpose mission that can explore both the Moon and Mars with a single launch is proposed, and potential launch opportunities are analyzed to establish an early-phase trajectory concept. The proposed mission applies the concept of a piggyback ride to a small-sized lunar probe, i.e., the daughtership, of the main Mars orbiter, i.e., the mothership. For the trajectory design, the Earth-Moon-Mars gravity assist (EMMGA) trajectory is adopted for the mothership to reach Mars, and the daughtership is assumed to be released from the mothership during lunar flyby. To investigate the early-phase feasibility of the proposed mission, the launch windows have been analyzed and the associated delta-Vs have been directly compared with the solutions obtained for typical Earth-Mars direct (EMD) transfer options. The identified launch windows (in the years 2031 and 2045) could be the strongest candidates for the proposed conceptual mission. Under the current assumptions, up to approximately 15% (in 2031) and 9% (in 2045), more dry mass is expected to be delivered to Mars by appropriately selecting one of the currently available launch vehicles, regardless of whether the EMMGA transfer option is used. For missions around the Moon using a SmallSat in 2031, the feasibility of a lunar orbiter case and an impactor case is briefly analyzed based on the delta-Vs required to divert the SmallSat from the mothership. Although the current work is performed under numerous assumptions for a simplified problem, the narrowed candidate launch window from the current work represents a good starting point for more detailed trajectory design optimization and analysis to realize the proposed conceptual mission.

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Refined Solar Sail Force Model with Mission Application

Cited by 54 publications

References 10 publications

Electric Sail Mission Analysis for Outer Solar System Exploration

Electric Sail Mission Analysis for Outer Solar System Exploration

A Linear Photonic Thrust Model and its Application to the L'Garde Solar Sail Surface

Potential Launch Opportunities for a SmallSat Mission around the Moon Injected during a Lunar Flyby En Route to Mars

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