Titan aerogravity-assist maneuvers for Saturn/Enceladus missions
Abstract
Mission analysis using aerogravity-assist (AGA) maneuver at Titan is presented in this paper. Considering Saturn arrival, Titan encounter, and different post-AGA orbits, the analysis uses vector diagrams to illustrate the relations among all conditions as well as design constraints. The analysis focuses on Enceladus mission concept and also present a summary result for Cassini-type Saturn system missions. Turn angles using AGA maneuver at Titan are quantified via numerical simulation, showing that 25-deg AGA turn angles are achievable with a Titan inbound excess velocity (V∞ , IN) of 10-20 km/s. Results show that for an Enceladus mission, V∞ , IN of 10 km/s is the minimum velocity required for AGA maneuver to achieve an outbound transfer orbit directly to Enceladus; the corresponding peak g-load is less than 6 g, peak heat rate less than 200 W/cm2, and total heat load of around 25 kJ/cm2. For a Cassini-type Saturn mission, a minimum V∞ , IN of 5 km/s can be used for Titan AGA. The results showed are for V∞ , IN of 6 km/s; and the corresponding peak g-load, peak heat rate, and total heat load are 1.5 g, 20 W/cm2, and 5 kJ/cm2 respectively.
- Publication:
-
Acta Astronautica
- Pub Date:
- November 2020
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.actaastro.2020.06.001
- Bibcode:
- 2020AcAau.176..262L
- Keywords:
-
- Aerogravity-assist;
- Mission design;
- Saturn;
- Enceladus