A surface constraint approach for solar sail orbits

Abstract

In this paper, a surface geometric constraint approach is used in designing the orbits of a solar sail. We solve the solar sail equation of motion by obtaining a generalized Laplace-Runge-Lenz (LRL) vector with the assumption that the cone angle is constant throughout the mission. A family of orbit equation solutions can then be specified by defining a constraint equation that relates the radial and polar velocities of the spacecraft and is dependent on the geometry of the surface where the spacecraft is expected to move. The proposed method is successfully applied in the design of orbits constrained on cylinders and to displaced non-Keplerian orbits.