Avoiding the Van Allen belt in low-thrust transfer to geosynchronous orbit
Abstract
Several strategies for low-thrust transfer to geosynchronous orbit are compared on the basis of fuel efficiency and radiation exposure. An approximate analysis is done to characterize the problem of choosing transfer type, for a range of fuel efficiency and radiation dosage limits. Exact minimum-fuel optimal transfer results are also presented. It is shown that three-burn or four-burn transfers may be more fuel-efficient than standard two-burn transfer while incurring only slightly more radiation dose, for thrust-accelerations below a certain level.
- Publication:
-
AIAA, Aerospace Sciences Meeting
- Pub Date:
- January 1983
- Bibcode:
- 1983aiaa.meetV....R
- Keywords:
-
- Geosynchronous Orbits;
- Low Thrust;
- Radiation Belts;
- Radiation Dosage;
- Spacecraft Maneuvers;
- Transfer Orbits;
- Apogees;
- Equations Of Motion;
- Fuel Consumption;
- Orbit Calculation;
- Orbital Maneuvers;
- Perigees;
- Astrodynamics