Journal of Aeronautics & Aerospace Engineering
Open Access

Spacecraft formation flying control subject to Lorentz force perturbations

International Conference and Exhibition on Satellite

August 17-19, 2015 Houston, USA

Yehia A Abdel-Aziz1, Kh I Khalil1 and M Shoaib2

1National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, Egypt 2University of Hail, Saudi Arabia

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J Aeronaut Aerospace Eng

Abstract :

A spacecraft that generates an electrostatic charge on its surface in the Earth magnetic field will be subject to a perturbative Lorentz force in Low Earth orbit (LEO). The Lorentz force acting on an electrostatically charged spacecraft may provide a useful thrust for controlling a spacecraft�s orbit. In this work, the Lorentz force will be developed as a function of the orbital elements. The orbital perturbations of a charged spacecraft due to Lorentz force in the Earth�s magnetic field, which is modeled as a titled dipole is investigated using the Gauss variation of the Lagrange Planetary Equations. The dynamical models of the relative motion will develop what leads to approximate analytical solutions for the motion of a charged spacecraft, subject to Lorentz force. The innovative concepts of this work is replacing the usual control like propellent or thruster by electrostatic force. The model is derived when the chief spacecraft�s reference orbit is either circular or elliptical and the deputy spacecraft is capable of established electrostatic charge. The expected results will focus on how to control and correct the in track position or/and plane orbit of the charged spacecraft using the Lorentz force. The trajectories of the both spacecraft (chief and deputy) will be estimated for short time intervals with different charge to mass ration (q/m) for different orbits in LEO.

Biography :

Email: yehia@nriag.sci.eg