Mapping orbits around the asteroid 2001SN(263)

Autor(es)

Prado, Antonio F. B. A. ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Natl Inst Space Res INPE, BR-12227010 Sao Jose Dos Campos, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Advances in Space Research; v. 53, n. 5, p. 877-889, MAR 1 2014.
• Citações Web of Science: 21

Resumo

The present paper has the goal of mapping orbits, with respect to the perturbations, for a spacecraft traveling around the asteroid 2001SN(263). This asteroid is a triple system, which center of mass is in an elliptic orbit around the Sun. The perturbations considered in the present model are the ones due to the oblateness of the central body, the gravity field of the two satellite bodies (Beta and Gamma), the Sun, the Moon, the asteroids Vesta, Pallas and Ceres and all the planets of the Solar System. This mapping is important, because it shows the relative importance of each force for a given orbit for the spacecraft, helping to make a decision about which forces need to be included in the model for a given accuracy and nominal orbit. Another important application of this type of mapping is to find orbits that are less perturbed, since it is expected that those orbits have good potential to require a smaller number of station-keeping maneuvers. Simulations under different conditions are made to find those orbits. The main reason to study those trajectories is that, currently, there are several institutions in Brazil studying the possibility to make a mission to send a spacecraft to this asteroid (the so-called ASTER mission), because there are many important scientific studies that can be performed in that system. The results showed that Gamma is the main perturbing body, followed by Beta (10 times smaller) and the group Sun-Mars-oblateness of Alpha, with perturbations 1000 times weaker than the effects of Gamma. The other bodies have perturbations 10(7) times smaller. The results also showed that circular and polar orbits are less perturbed, when compared to elliptical and equatorial orbits. Regarding the semi-major axis, an internal orbit is the best choice, followed by a larger external orbit. The inclination of the orbit plays an important role, and there are values for the inclination where the perturbations show minimum and maximum values, so it is important to make a good decision on those values. (C) 2014 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 11/08171-3 - Dinâmica orbital de pequenos corpos
• Beneficiário: Othon Cabo Winter
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático
• Processo FAPESP: 11/09310-7 - Estudo orbital do movimento de veículos espaciais
• Beneficiário: Antônio Fernando Bertachini de Almeida Prado
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular