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Application of Impulsive Aero-Gravity Assisted Maneuvers in Venus and Mars to Change the Orbital Inclination of a Spacecraft

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Abstract

Thse powered aero-gravity-assist is an orbital maneuver that combines three basic components: a gravity-assist with a passage by the atmosphere of the planet during the close approach and the application of an impulse during this passage. The mathematical model used to simulate the trajectories is the Restricted Three-Body Problem including the terms coming from the aerodynamic forces. The present paper uses this type of maneuver considering that the trajectory of the spacecraft is in the ecliptic plane and the presence of the atmospheric Drag and Lift forces. The maneuver in the ecliptic plane can be done due to technologies that provides spacecraft with high values for the Lift to Drag ratio. The main advantage is that this maneuver allows the modification of the semi-major axis of the orbit of the spacecraft using the gravity of the planet and, at the same time, to change the inclination, using the high Lift that is perpendicular to the ecliptic plane. So, it is a combined maneuver that changes two important orbital parameters at the same time. The Lift is applied orthogonal to the initial orbital plane to generate an inclination change in the trajectory of the spacecraft, which is a very expensive maneuvers when made using propulsion systems. The Lift to Drag ratio used in the present paper goes up to 9.0, because there are vehicles, like waveriders, designed to have these values. When the spacecraft is passing by the periapsis of its orbit, an instantaneous impulse is applied to increase or decrease the variation of energy given by the aero-gravity-assist maneuver. The planets Venus and Mars are selected to be the bodies for the maneuver, due to their atmospheric density and strategic location in the Solar System to provide possible uses for future missions. Results coming from numerical simulations show the maximum changes in the inclination obtained by the maneuvers, as a function of the approach angle and direction of the impulse; the Lift to Drag ratio and the ballistic coefficient. In the case of Mars, inclination changes can be larger than 13°, and for Venus larger than 21°. The energy and inclination variations are shown for several selected orbits. The powered aero-gravity-assist maneuver generates inclination changes that are higher than the ones obtained from the powered maneuver and/or the aero-gravity maneuver.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express their appreciation for the support provided by grants # 406841/2016-0 and 301338/2016-7 from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq); grants # 2016/24561-0 and 2016/14665-2, from São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) and the financial support from the National Council for the Improvement of Higher Education (CAPES).

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  1. National Institute for Space Research (INPE), Av. Dos Astronautas 1758, São José dos Campos, 12227-010, Brazil

    Jhonathan O. Murcia-Piñeros & Antonio F. B. A. Prado

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  1. Jhonathan O. Murcia-Piñeros
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Correspondence to Jhonathan O. Murcia-Piñeros.

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Murcia-Piñeros, J.O., Prado, A.F.B.A. Application of Impulsive Aero-Gravity Assisted Maneuvers in Venus and Mars to Change the Orbital Inclination of a Spacecraft. J of Astronaut Sci 66, 322–340 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40295-019-00156-5

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