Orbit design for a geomagnetic-tail mission.
Abstract
The paper presents a class of eccentric, lunar-gravity-assisted earth orbits for which the line-of-apsides is maintained close to the sun-earth line and the apogee is kept in the antisolar direction. Such orbits can be used to explore the earth's geomagnetic tail. Following a brief summary of the scientific objectives of a deep-tail mission, possible orbits for such missions out to 90 earth radii are presented, and three specific examples are discussed in some detail.
- Publication:
-
ESA Journal
- Pub Date:
- 1979
- Bibcode:
- 1979ESAJ....3....7C
- Keywords:
-
- Astrodynamics;
- Earth Orbits;
- Geomagnetic Tail;
- Lunar Gravitational Effects;
- Mission Planning;
- Satellite Orbits;
- Swingby Technique;
- Apogees;
- Apsides;
- Artificial Satellites;
- Earth-Moon System;
- Geomagnetism;
- Graphs (Charts);
- Astrodynamics;
- Space Research;
- Spaceflight