Orbital flips due to solar radiation pressure for orbital debris in MEO and GSO

Paper number

IAC-21,A6,IP,2,x63400

Author

Prof. Eduard Kuznetsov, Russian Federation, Ural Federal University

Year

2021

Abstract

We study the dynamical evolution near GNSS and geosynchronous orbits from the point of view of searching for orbits with minimal variations. We investigate the orbital plane flips (flips from prograde to retrograde motion or vice versa) phenomenon due to solar radiation pressure. We consider initial low and moderate eccentricity orbits with different inclinations from the GNSS to the geosynchronous region. Initial data correspond to orbits with the eccentricities from 0.001 to 0.4. The initial inclination is varied from $35^\circ$ to $64.8^\circ$. Initial values of the longitude of the ascending node are varied from $0^\circ$ to $360^\circ$. Area-to-mass ratio corresponds to orbital debris and is varied from 8 to 40 m$^2$/kg. Dynamical evolution is over 24 years. We used the “Numerical Model of Motion of Artificial Satellites”. The model of perturbing forces includes the major perturbing factors: the gravitational field of the Earth (EGM96 model, harmonics up to the 27th order and degree, inclusive), the gravitation of the Moon and the Sun, the tides of the Earth, the direct solar radiation pressure (coefficient of reflection of the satellite surface is 1.44) taking into consideration the shadow of the Earth, the Poynting–Robertson effect, and the atmospheric drag. The equations of motion are integrated by the Everhart's method of the 19th order. 

A minimum value of the initial inclination, which leads to the orbital flips, is decreased when the semi-major axis is raised. There is a dependence of the long-period evolution of objects with a high area-to-mass ratio on the ascending node longitude's initial value. The maximum inclination of the orbit is achieved when the longitude of the pericenter is sun-synchronous.  Flips of the orbits due to the effect of solar radiation pressure have been observed for the initial value of the longitude of the ascending node in vicinity 180°. We obtain that flips are possible only for objects with a high area-to-mass ratio. The flips detected for area-to-mass ratio 8 m$^2$/kg near GSO and 16 m$^2$/kg in the GNSS region. Flips are fixed for eccentricities less than 0.2. Moreover, the flips studied in this work are caused precisely by solar radiation pressure, and not by the Lidov–Kozai effect. The Lidov–Kozai effect is suppressed by solar radiation pressure perturbations, affecting high area-to-mass ratio objects due to a secondary apsidal-nodal secular resonance. 

This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and High Education of the Russian Federation, FEUZ-2020-0030.

Abstract document

IAC-21,A6,IP,2,x63400.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

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