Related papers: A method for classifying orbits near asteroids
In asteroid rendezvous missions, the dynamical environment near the asteroid's surface should be made clear prior to the mission launch. However, most of the asteroids have irregular shapes, which lower the efficiency of calculating their…
A simple orbit classification constraint extension to stellar dynamical modeling using Schwarzschild's method is demonstrated. The classification scheme used is the existing `orbit circularity' scheme (lambda_z) where orbits are split into…
We numerically investigate the orbital dynamics of a spacecraft, or a comet, or an asteroid in the Pluto-Charon system in a scattering region around Charon using the planar circular restricted three-body problem. The test particle can move…
While the number of asteroids with known shapes has drastically increased over the past few years, little is known on the the time-evolution of shapes and the underlying physical processes. Here we propose an averaged abrasion model based…
More than a half of asteroids in the main belt have irregular shapes with the ratios of the minor to major axis lengths less than 0.6. One of the mechanisms to create such shapes is collisions between asteroids. The relationship between…
The dynamics and control of a satellite in proximity to the asteroid Apophis across its Earth close approach in 2029 is evaluated and investigated. First, the feasibility of carrying out close proximity operations about Apophis when in its…
Gravitational radiation of binary systems can be studied by using the adiabatic approximation in General Relativity. In this approach a small astrophysical object follows a trajectory consisting of a chained series of bounded geodesics…
A method for determining the orbital parameters of interacting pairs of galaxies is presented and evaluated using artificial data. The method consists of a genetic algorithm which can search efficiently through the very large space of…
In this study, the potential locations of asteroidal small satellites (also called moonlets) with quasi-circular mutual orbit are analyzed. For the motion of the moonlets, only the solar gravity perturbation and the primary's 2nd…
Periodic orbits are important objects of discrete dynamical systems, but finding them is not always easy. We present a self-contained introductory account, aimed at non-experts, to prove their existence and study their stability using the…
Examining the spin-orbit coupling effects for highly elliptical orbits is relevant to the mission design and operation of cislunar space assets, such as the Lunar Gateway. In high-eccentricity orbits, the gravity-gradient moment is here…
Asteroids can be eclipsed by other bodies in the Solar System, but no direct observation of an asteroid eclipse has been reported to date. We describe a statistical method to predict an eclipse for an asteroid based on the analysis of the…
On April 13, 2029, asteroid Apophis will pass within six Earth radii ($\sim$31000 km above surface), in the closest approach of this asteroid in recorded history. This event provides unique scientific opportunities to study the asteroid,…
We derive the secular evolution of the orbital elements of a stellar-mass object orbiting a spinning massive black hole. We use the post-Newtonian approximation in harmonic coordinates, with test-body equations of motion for the…
In this work, we investigate the bifurcations of relative equilibria in the gravitational potential of asteroids. A theorem concerning a conserved quantity, which is about the eigenvalues and number of relative equilibria, is presented and…
This paper presents an integrated model-learning predictive control scheme for spacecraft orbit-attitude station-keeping in the vicinity of asteroids. The orbiting probe relies on optical and laser navigation while attitude measurements are…
This paper explores the problem of analytically approximating the orbital state for a subset of orbits in a rotating potential with oblateness and ellipticity perturbations. This is done by isolating approximate differential equations for…
In recent years, understanding asteroids has shifted from light worlds to geological worlds by exploring modern spacecraft and advanced radar and telescopic surveys. However, flyby in 2029 will be an opportunity to conduct an internal…
This study examines the rotational characteristics of asteroids through statistical modeling of the diameter-period relationship. A statistical evaluation of the diameter-period relationship was conducted using a dataset of 34,326…
In general, small bodies of the solar system, e.g., asteroids and comets, have a very irregular shape. This feature affects significantly the gravitational potential around these irregular bodies, which hinders dynamical studies. The…