Essay On Circumnavigation

Flying robots have a crucial role in future on-orbit servicing and operation tasks. Fast circumnavigation is an enabling technology for future flying robots on-orbit servicing and operations. In this a state transition matrix is introduced, which could be applied to the cases of a target satellite in circular orbit or in elliptical orbit. The state transition matrix is further used to develop the trajectory design and guidance algorithms for enter-into circumnavigation, fast circumnavigation and exit circumnavigation based on multiple-impulse maneuver method. Circumnavigation orbits are useful for inspection type missions such as searching for meteorite or space debris damage, to engage in servicing missions, or even to perform the

This study utilizes the state transition matrix formulation to perform faster-than-natural circumnavigation via a set of pre-defined way-points. Several authors have explored the faster-than-natural relative orbits providing initial insight into continuous thrusting solutions. Reference investigates using a bi-elliptic method to find a -impulse sequence to join natural elliptic relative motions, yielding a faster-than-natural circumnavigation. Straight uses the relative motion State Transition Matrix (STM) for the circular chief case to develop impulsive control solutions to yield a non-natural circular circumnavigation solution .Here a general set of way-points can be applied, and the STM is used to determine the required changes in velocity at each way-point. Reference also uses the circular chief STM to investigate using a series of way-points to perform a faster-than-natural approach to another space object. STM methods that scale to elliptic orbits are investigated in Reference. More recently, Danne miller discusses the general STM approach to planning a multi-maneuver relative trajectory in