Variation of Osculating Orbit Elements Using Low-Thrust Photonic Laser Propulsion in the Two-Body Problem

This study investigated the variation of the osculating orbit elements of a spacecraft propelled by photonic laser propulsion (PLP) under the two-body problem assumption. The PLP thrusting system can produce continuous and constant thrust. This paper first reviewed its basics and then studied its in...

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Main Author: Fu-Yuen Hsiao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-01-01
Series:Aerospace
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/9/2/75
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author Fu-Yuen Hsiao
author_facet Fu-Yuen Hsiao
author_sort Fu-Yuen Hsiao
collection DOAJ
description This study investigated the variation of the osculating orbit elements of a spacecraft propelled by photonic laser propulsion (PLP) under the two-body problem assumption. The PLP thrusting system can produce continuous and constant thrust. This paper first reviewed its basics and then studied its influences on the variation of osculating orbit elements given a small PLP thrust. Gauss’s equations, perturbation theory, and normalization were introduced to investigate this problem. Our work approached the problem by studying the influences of small planar and out-of-plane PLP thrusts, respectively. Bounds on the variation of orbit elements were derived, and a sufficient condition that traps the mission spacecraft in the vicinity of the mother ship was also found. Numerical simulations are also presented to verify our results, including the bounds and the sufficient conditions. The results obtained in this paper are directly applicable to the usage of PLP thrust, a new type of thrusting system, in the future, and are potentially helpful to various space missions, especially interplanetary travel.
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spelling doaj.art-35a8967515d641b39f8d60fa09f6b38c2023-11-23T18:14:16ZengMDPI AGAerospace2226-43102022-01-01927510.3390/aerospace9020075Variation of Osculating Orbit Elements Using Low-Thrust Photonic Laser Propulsion in the Two-Body ProblemFu-Yuen Hsiao0Department of Aerospace Engineering, Tamkang University, Tamsui, New Taipei City 25137, TaiwanThis study investigated the variation of the osculating orbit elements of a spacecraft propelled by photonic laser propulsion (PLP) under the two-body problem assumption. The PLP thrusting system can produce continuous and constant thrust. This paper first reviewed its basics and then studied its influences on the variation of osculating orbit elements given a small PLP thrust. Gauss’s equations, perturbation theory, and normalization were introduced to investigate this problem. Our work approached the problem by studying the influences of small planar and out-of-plane PLP thrusts, respectively. Bounds on the variation of orbit elements were derived, and a sufficient condition that traps the mission spacecraft in the vicinity of the mother ship was also found. Numerical simulations are also presented to verify our results, including the bounds and the sufficient conditions. The results obtained in this paper are directly applicable to the usage of PLP thrust, a new type of thrusting system, in the future, and are potentially helpful to various space missions, especially interplanetary travel.https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/9/2/75photonic laser propulsionGauss equationsperturbation theoryosculating orbit elementsinterplanetary travel
spellingShingle Fu-Yuen Hsiao
Variation of Osculating Orbit Elements Using Low-Thrust Photonic Laser Propulsion in the Two-Body Problem
Aerospace
photonic laser propulsion
Gauss equations
perturbation theory
osculating orbit elements
interplanetary travel
title Variation of Osculating Orbit Elements Using Low-Thrust Photonic Laser Propulsion in the Two-Body Problem
title_full Variation of Osculating Orbit Elements Using Low-Thrust Photonic Laser Propulsion in the Two-Body Problem
title_fullStr Variation of Osculating Orbit Elements Using Low-Thrust Photonic Laser Propulsion in the Two-Body Problem
title_full_unstemmed Variation of Osculating Orbit Elements Using Low-Thrust Photonic Laser Propulsion in the Two-Body Problem
title_short Variation of Osculating Orbit Elements Using Low-Thrust Photonic Laser Propulsion in the Two-Body Problem
title_sort variation of osculating orbit elements using low thrust photonic laser propulsion in the two body problem
topic photonic laser propulsion
Gauss equations
perturbation theory
osculating orbit elements
interplanetary travel
url https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/9/2/75
work_keys_str_mv AT fuyuenhsiao variationofosculatingorbitelementsusinglowthrustphotoniclaserpropulsioninthetwobodyproblem