TY - GEN
T1 - A study of low-thrust trajectories for low orbit multiple cubesat missions
AU - Ghosh, Alexander
AU - Coverstone, Victoria
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - This work discusses the usage of a low-thrust micro-cavity discharge thruster on 3 kg cubesats. Based on a case study of a two-satellite system, the required trajectories, and control use is determined to allow the cubesats to recover from disturbances, and extended their usable lifetime by a factor of at least 10. The approach uses a direct transcription method that employs multiple-shooting of a 4th order Runge-Kutta forward-integration of the state and control defects. It also lays the groundwork for future study into problems regarding cubesat formation phasing with larger numbers of spacecraft.
AB - This work discusses the usage of a low-thrust micro-cavity discharge thruster on 3 kg cubesats. Based on a case study of a two-satellite system, the required trajectories, and control use is determined to allow the cubesats to recover from disturbances, and extended their usable lifetime by a factor of at least 10. The approach uses a direct transcription method that employs multiple-shooting of a 4th order Runge-Kutta forward-integration of the state and control defects. It also lays the groundwork for future study into problems regarding cubesat formation phasing with larger numbers of spacecraft.
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M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:80053399158
SN - 9780877035602
T3 - Advances in the Astronautical Sciences
SP - 1117
EP - 1133
BT - Spaceflight Mechanics 2010 - Advances in the Astronautical Sciences
T2 - AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting
Y2 - 14 February 2010 through 17 February 2010
ER -