Low energy method for changing the inclinations of orbiting satellites using weak stability boundaries and a computer process for implementing same
First Claim
1. A method of changing at least one of an inclination and an altitude of an object including at least one of a space vehicle, satellite and rocket, using a computer implemented process, comprising the sequential or non-sequential steps of:
- (a) traveling from the earth or the earth orbit to a weak lunar capture in a WSB or WSB orbit;
(b) performing a maneuver and optionally performing an inclination change at the WSB or the WSB orbit; and
(c) traveling from the WSB or the WSB orbit to the earth or the earth orbit at a predetermined arbitrary altitude and optionally at the inclination change.
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Abstract
When a satellite is orbiting the earth in an elliptic orbit, it has a certain inclination with respect to the earth'"'"'s equator. The usual way to change the inclination is perform a maneuver by firing the rocket engines at the periapsis of the ellipse. This then forces the satellite into the desired inclination. There is a substantially more fuel efficient way to change the inclination. This is done by an indirect route by first doing a maneuver to bring the satellite to the moon on a BCT (Ballistic Capture Transfer). At the moon, the satellite is in the so called fuzzy boundary or weak stability boundary. A negligibly small maneuver can then bring it back to the earth on a reverse BCT to the desired earth inclination. Another maneuver puts it into the new ellipse at the earth. In the case of satellites launched from Vandenberg AFB into LEO in a circular orbit of an altitude of 700 km with an inclination of 34°, approximately 6 km/s is required to change the inclination to 90°. This yields a savings of approximately 13% in Delta-V as compared to the standard approach which could translate into a significant increase of payload or perhaps a smaller launch vehicle. This may have applications to commercial satellite launches for the Iridium or Teledesic networks and others.
28 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of changing at least one of an inclination and an altitude of an object including at least one of a space vehicle, satellite and rocket, using a computer implemented process, comprising the sequential or non-sequential steps of:
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(a) traveling from the earth or the earth orbit to a weak lunar capture in a WSB or WSB orbit;
(b) performing a maneuver and optionally performing an inclination change at the WSB or the WSB orbit; and
(c) traveling from the WSB or the WSB orbit to the earth or the earth orbit at a predetermined arbitrary altitude and optionally at the inclination change. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
(1) transforming converged values of the VE, γ
E into classical elements;
(2) transforming the classical elements to spherical coordinates, wherein the spherical coordinates include the converged values of VE, γ
E, and longitude α
E, latitude δ
E, flight path azimuth/angle with vertical σ
E are changed.
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16. A method according to claim 7, wherein said traveling step (a) further comprises the step of entering the parameters including the velocity magnitude VE, the flight path angle γ
- E using contours to facilitate initial selection of the parameters for said method of generating operational ballistic capture transfer.
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17. A method according to claim 7, wherein said traveling step (a) further comprises the step of entering the parameters using an initial guess in spherical, flightpath coordinates to facilitate initial selection of the parameters for said method of generating operational ballistic capture transfer.
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18. A method according to claim 7, wherein said traveling step (a) further comprises the steps of:
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(1) transforming converged values of VI, γ
I into classical elements;
(2) transforming the classical elements to spherical coordinates, wherein the spherical coordinates include the converged values of VI, γ
I, and longitude α
I, latitude δ
I, flight path azimuth/angle with vertical σ
I are changed.
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19. A method according to claim 7, wherein the velocity magnitude VI, and the flight path angle γ
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I are decoupled from angular earth elements including inclination iI, ascending node relative to earth Ω
I, and argument of periapsis relative to earth ω
I, in the method of generating operational ballistic capture transfer.
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I are decoupled from angular earth elements including inclination iI, ascending node relative to earth Ω
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2. A method of changing at least one of an inclination and an altitude of an object including at least one of a space vehicle, satellite and rocket, using a computer implemented process, comprising the sequential or non-sequential steps of:
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(a) traveling from the earth or the earth orbit to a weak lunar capture in a WSB or WSB orbit;
(b) performing a negligible maneuver and optionally performing an inclination change at the WSB or the WSB orbit for ejection therefrom; and
(c) traveling from the WSB or the WSB orbit to the earth or the earth orbit at a predetermined arbitrary altitude and optionally at the inclination change. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4)
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5. A method of changing at least one of an inclination and an altitude of an object including at least one of a space vehicle, satellite and rocket, using a computer implemented process, comprising the sequential or non-sequential steps of:
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(a) traveling from the earth or the earth orbit to a weak lunar capture in a WSB or WSB orbit;
(b) maneuvering around the moon by performing a first negligible maneuver at the WSB or the WSB orbit;
(c) optionally performing an inclination change at the WSB or the WSB orbit;
(d) ejecting from the WSB or the WSB orbit by performing a second negligible maneuver; and
(e) traveling from the WSB or the WSB orbit to the earth or the earth orbit at a predetermined arbitrary altitude and optionally at the inclination change.
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6. A method of changing at least one of an inclination and an altitude of an object including at least one of a space vehicle, satellite and rocket, using a computer implemented process, comprising the sequential or non-sequential steps of:
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(a) traveling from the earth or the earth orbit to a first periapsis at a weak lunar capture in a WSB or WSB orbit;
(b) maneuvering around the moon by performing a first negligible maneuver at the WSB or the WSB orbit;
(c) optionally performing an inclination change at the WSB or the WSB orbit;
(d) ejecting from the WSB or the WSB orbit by performing a second negligible maneuver; and
(e) traveling from the WSB or the WSB orbit to a second periapsis at the earth or the earth orbit at a predetermined arbitrary altitude and optionally at the at the inclination change.
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20. A system of changing at least one of an inclination and an altitude of an object including at least one of a space vehicle, satellite and rocket, using a computer implemented process, comprising the sequential or non-sequential steps of:
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(a) traveling from the earth or the earth orbit to a weak lunar capture in a WSB or WSB orbit;
(b) performing a maneuver and optionally performing an inclination change at the WSB or the WSB orbit; and
(c) traveling from the WSB or the WSB orbit to the earth or the earth orbit at a predetermined arbitrary altitude and optionally at the inclination change.
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21. A system of changing at least one of an inclination and an altitude of an object including at least one of a space vehicle, satellite and rocket, using a computer implemented process, comprising the sequential or non-sequential steps of:
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(a) traveling from the earth or the earth orbit to a weak lunar capture in a WSB or WSB orbit;
(b) maneuvering around the moon by performing a first negligible maneuver at the WSB or the WSB orbit;
(c) optionally performing an inclination change at the WSB or the WSB orbit;
(d) ejecting from the WSB or the WSB orbit by performing a second negligible maneuver; and
(e) traveling from the WSB or the WSB orbit to the earth or the earth orbit at a predetermined arbitrary altitude and optionally at the inclination change.
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Specification