Coulomb formation conservation laws using differential orbit elements Journal Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Recently, the concept of controlling the relative motion of spacecraft using electrostatic charging (Coulomb forces) has been proposed. For tight spacecraft formations with separation distances ranging from 10–100 m, the Coulomb forces between the spacecraft can be exploited to provide an extremely fuel and power efficient means of propulsion. As the charge of a single craft is varied, the relative motion of the entire formation is affected. The Coulomb force vector a craft experiences is restricted to be directed along the relative position vectors, which results in constraints being imposed on how the Coulomb force can be used to control a formation. This paper investigates how the conservation of angular momentum and the formation centre of mass limits the types of relative orbits that can be controlled. Considering the spacecraft formation to be a system of N particles, the formation internal Coulomb force cannot change the inertial system angular momentum vector. The centre of mass definition and angular momentum constraint are expressed using differential orbit elements to describe the relative motion. Both Cartesian and orbit element formation centre of mass are discussed. First-order transformations to the non-linear solutions are presented. Their accuracy is evaluated both analytically and using numerical simulations. The orbit element centre of mass of the charged spacecraft formation can be approximated to be Keplerian for charge feedback laws which are proportional to the orbit element tracking errors.

publication date

  • May 1, 2006

has restriction

  • closed

Date in CU Experts

  • June 11, 2014 4:12 AM

Full Author List

  • Kim M; Schaub H

author count

  • 2

Other Profiles

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0954-4100

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 2041-3025

Additional Document Info

start page

  • 463

end page

  • 474

volume

  • 220

issue

  • 5