Semi-analytical propagation with drag computation and flow expansion using differential algebra

  1. Gondelach, D.J. 2
  2. Armellin, R. 3
  3. Lewis, H. 2
  4. San Juan, J.F. 3
  5. Wittig, A. 1
  1. 1 European Space Research and Technology Centre
    info

    European Space Research and Technology Centre

    Noordwijk-Binnen, Holanda

    ROR https://ror.org/03h3jqn23

  2. 2 University of Southampton
    info

    University of Southampton

    Southampton, Reino Unido

    ROR https://ror.org/01ryk1543

  3. 3 Universidad de La Rioja
    info

    Universidad de La Rioja

    Logroño, España

    ROR https://ror.org/0553yr311

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Revista:
Advances in the Astronautical Sciences

ISSN: 0065-3438

Año de publicación: 2017

Volumen: 160

Páginas: 2297-2314

Tipo: Artículo

SCOPUS: 2-s2.0-85031014642 WoS: WOS:000433401100136 GOOGLE SCHOLAR

Otras publicaciones en: Advances in the Astronautical Sciences

Resumen

Efficient long-term propagation of orbits is needed for e.g. the design of disposal orbits and analysis of their stability. Semi-analytical methods are suited for this as they combine accuracy and efficiency. However, the semi-analytical modelling of non-conservative forces is challenging and in general numerical quadrature is required to accurately average their effects, which reduces the efficiency of semi-analytical propagation. In this work we apply Differential Algebra (DA) for efficient evaluation of the mean element rates due to drag. The effect of drag is computed numerically in the DA arithmetic such that in subsequent integration steps the drag can be calculated by only evaluating a DA expansion. The method is tested for decaying low Earth and geostationary transfer orbits and it is shown that the method can provide accurate propagation with reduced computation time with respect to nominal semi-analytical and numerical propagation. Furthermore, the semi-analytical propagator is entirely implemented in DA to enable higher-order expansion of the flow that can be used for efficient propagation of initial conditions. The approach is applied to expand the evolution of a Galileo disposal orbit. The results show a large validity domain of the expansion which represents a promising result for the application of the method for e.g. stability analysis.

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Información de financiación

David Gondelach is funded by an EPSRC Doctoral Training Grant awarded by the Faculty of Engineering and the Environment of the University of Southampton. Roberto Armellin acknowledges the support received by the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant 627111 (HOPT - Merging Lie perturbation theory and Taylor Differential algebra to address space debris challenges). Juan Felix San Juan acknowledges the support by the Spanish State Research Agency and the European Regional Development Fund under Projects ESP2014-57071-R and ESP2016-76585-R (AEI/ERDF, EU).

Financiadores

  • EPSRC Doctoral Training Grant - Faculty of Engineering and the Environment of the University of Southampton
  • Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant
    • 627111
  • Spanish State Research Agency
  • European Regional Development Fund
    • ESP2014-57071-R
    • ESP2016-76585-R