Quantifying the impact of air drag models considering a rotating atmosphere in rso lifetime predictions

Ali Hassani, Danielle Racelis, Sandeep K. Jada, Jonathan Black, Mathieu Joerger, Aaron J. Rosengren

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

This paper provides a comparative analysis of two different atmospheric drag models aimed at predicting the reentry of Resident Space Objects (RSO). We quantify the impact of considering a rotating atmosphere in the drag model, and analyze its effects on the Milankovitch elements, namely the angular momentum vector, and the Laplace-Runge-Lenz vector. The secular variation of the Milankovitch elements is expressed analytically through averaging. We evaluate the performance of the two formulations of the averaged equations of motion to provide accurate predictions of the orbital decay of RSO’s, by comparing simulated trajectories to those derived from the non-averaged dynamics, and to a documented spacecraft reentry event. Results show that accounting for atmospheric rotation in the averaged dynamics, provides simulated RSO trajectories closer to the non-averaged dynamics, and to the documented two-line element reentry data.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAccelerating Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery Conference, ASCEND 2020
PublisherAmerican Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA
ISBN (Print)9781624106088
StatePublished - 2020
EventAccelerating Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery Conference, ASCEND 2020 - Las Vegas, United States
Duration: Nov 16 2020Nov 19 2020

Publication series

NameAccelerating Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery Conference, ASCEND 2020

Conference

ConferenceAccelerating Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery Conference, ASCEND 2020
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityLas Vegas
Period11/16/2011/19/20

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Space and Planetary Science
  • Aerospace Engineering

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