E-Sail Option for Plunging a Spacecraft into the Sun’s Atmosphere
A close observation of the near-Sun region, with in situ measurements, requires that a scientific probe be placed in a heliocentric orbit with a perihelion distance on the order of a few solar radii only. This is the solution adopted by the Parker Solar Probe (PSP), whose mission design uses a very...
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Aerospace |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/10/4/340 |
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| author | Giovanni Mengali Alessandro A. Quarta |
| author_facet | Giovanni Mengali Alessandro A. Quarta |
| author_sort | Giovanni Mengali |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A close observation of the near-Sun region, with in situ measurements, requires that a scientific probe be placed in a heliocentric orbit with a perihelion distance on the order of a few solar radii only. This is the solution adopted by the Parker Solar Probe (PSP), whose mission design uses a very complex transfer trajectory with seven Venus gravity assists to reach a perihelion radius of roughly <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>9.9</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> solar radii in about seven years. This paper aims to discuss the capability of an Electric Solar-Wind Sail (E-sail), i.e., a propellantless propulsion system that exploits the solar wind as a deep-space thrust source using a grid of long and artificially charged tethers, to drive a scientific probe toward a heliocentric orbit with characteristics similar to that considered during the initial design of the PSP mission. The two-dimensional trajectory analysis of an E-sail-based spacecraft is performed in an optimal framework, by considering the physical constraints induced by the thermal loads acting on the propellantless propulsion system when the spacecraft approaches the inner Sun regions. This means that, during the transfer trajectory, the E-sail-based spacecraft must avoid a spherical region around the Sun whose radius depends on the mechanical characteristics of the charged tethers. The paper shows that feasible solutions, in terms of optimal transfer trajectories, are possible even when a medium-performance E-sail is considered in the spacecraft design. In that context, the obtained trajectory can drive a scientific probe on the target (high elliptic) orbit in less than two years, without the use of any intermediate flyby maneuver. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:20:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-32c4e8a196db4d7eb63ae8fb0cf85cbc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2226-4310 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:20:40Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Aerospace |
| spelling | doaj.art-32c4e8a196db4d7eb63ae8fb0cf85cbc2023-11-17T17:52:07ZengMDPI AGAerospace2226-43102023-04-0110434010.3390/aerospace10040340E-Sail Option for Plunging a Spacecraft into the Sun’s AtmosphereGiovanni Mengali0Alessandro A. Quarta1Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering, University of Pisa, I-56122 Pisa, ItalyDepartment of Civil and Industrial Engineering, University of Pisa, I-56122 Pisa, ItalyA close observation of the near-Sun region, with in situ measurements, requires that a scientific probe be placed in a heliocentric orbit with a perihelion distance on the order of a few solar radii only. This is the solution adopted by the Parker Solar Probe (PSP), whose mission design uses a very complex transfer trajectory with seven Venus gravity assists to reach a perihelion radius of roughly <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>9.9</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> solar radii in about seven years. This paper aims to discuss the capability of an Electric Solar-Wind Sail (E-sail), i.e., a propellantless propulsion system that exploits the solar wind as a deep-space thrust source using a grid of long and artificially charged tethers, to drive a scientific probe toward a heliocentric orbit with characteristics similar to that considered during the initial design of the PSP mission. The two-dimensional trajectory analysis of an E-sail-based spacecraft is performed in an optimal framework, by considering the physical constraints induced by the thermal loads acting on the propellantless propulsion system when the spacecraft approaches the inner Sun regions. This means that, during the transfer trajectory, the E-sail-based spacecraft must avoid a spherical region around the Sun whose radius depends on the mechanical characteristics of the charged tethers. The paper shows that feasible solutions, in terms of optimal transfer trajectories, are possible even when a medium-performance E-sail is considered in the spacecraft design. In that context, the obtained trajectory can drive a scientific probe on the target (high elliptic) orbit in less than two years, without the use of any intermediate flyby maneuver.https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/10/4/340Electric Solar-Wind Sailtrajectory optimizationpropellantless propulsion systemParker Solar Probe concept |
| spellingShingle | Giovanni Mengali Alessandro A. Quarta E-Sail Option for Plunging a Spacecraft into the Sun’s Atmosphere Aerospace Electric Solar-Wind Sail trajectory optimization propellantless propulsion system Parker Solar Probe concept |
| title | E-Sail Option for Plunging a Spacecraft into the Sun’s Atmosphere |
| title_full | E-Sail Option for Plunging a Spacecraft into the Sun’s Atmosphere |
| title_fullStr | E-Sail Option for Plunging a Spacecraft into the Sun’s Atmosphere |
| title_full_unstemmed | E-Sail Option for Plunging a Spacecraft into the Sun’s Atmosphere |
| title_short | E-Sail Option for Plunging a Spacecraft into the Sun’s Atmosphere |
| title_sort | e sail option for plunging a spacecraft into the sun s atmosphere |
| topic | Electric Solar-Wind Sail trajectory optimization propellantless propulsion system Parker Solar Probe concept |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/10/4/340 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT giovannimengali esailoptionforplungingaspacecraftintothesunsatmosphere AT alessandroaquarta esailoptionforplungingaspacecraftintothesunsatmosphere |