Satellite design aspects of applying electric propulsion for geostationary satellites
Abstract
Electrical propulsion has long appeared an attractive technology for reducing the propellant mass required for the NS orbital control of geostationary satellites. The high complexity of electrical propulsion components leads to the concept of integrated electric propulsion packages (EPP's). Satellite geometrical limitations constrain these packages to be implemented on both east and west sides of the satellite in such a way that they must be operated simultaneously to perform north south station keeping. The high peak power requirement during thrusting theoretically imposes a very significant penalty on the solar array sizing. Fortunately, optimized orbital control strategy based on EPP flexibility and on the variation of the solar generator power delivery during the satellite lifetime allows this penalty to be minimized. The very long duration of station keeping maneuvers and low disturbance renders especially attractive the use of a one or two degrees of transverse freedom attitude control system and imposes a new optimization of the yaw sensing.
- Publication:
-
NASA STI/Recon Technical Report N
- Pub Date:
- 1977
- Bibcode:
- 1977STIN...7817137B
- Keywords:
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- Electric Propulsion;
- Optimization;
- Satellite Attitude Control;
- Synchronous Satellites;
- Yaw;
- Design;
- Solar Collectors;
- Launch Vehicles and Space Vehicles