Related papers: A Gravitational Tractor for Towing Asteroids
Building upon earlier work, we explore the limits of using a configuration of satellites to measure the trace of the gravitational gradient tensor using intersatellite laser ranging and timing observables without relying on high-precision…
The increasing number of space missions may overwhelm ground support infrastructure, prompting the need for autonomous deep-space guidance, navigation, and control (GN\&C) systems. These systems offer sustainable and cost-effective…
In this work we take a critical look at the available data on the flyby anomaly and on the current limitations of attempts to develop an explanation. We aim to verify how conservative corrections to gravity could affect the hyperbolic…
Missions to rendezvous with or capture an asteroid present significant interest both from a geophysical and safety point of view. They are key to the understanding of our solar system are as well stepping stones for interplanetary human…
Aerial manipulators are composed of an aerial multi-rotor that is equipped with a 6-DOF servo robot arm. To achieve precise position and attitude control during the arm's motion, it is critical for the system to have high performance…
The field equations of a generalized $f(R)$ type gravity model, in which there is an arbitrary coupling between matter and geometry, are obtained. The equations of motion for test particles are derived from a variational principle in the…
The perturbative integral method was applied to quantify the contribution of external forces during a specific interval of time in trajectories of spacecraft around asteroids and under the Luni-solar influence. However, this method has not…
An effective method for detailed observation of the Solar System planets is the use of vehicles that can perform flight in their atmospheres, with the most promising of them being Flyers (aircraft for other planets atmospheres). Besides the…
The orbital dynamics of a spacecraft orbiting around irregular small celestial bodies is a challenging problem. Difficulties to model the gravity field of these bodies arise from the poor knowledge of the exact shape as observed from the…
The preliminary mission design of spacecraft missions to asteroids often involves, in the early phases, the selection of candidate target asteroids. The final result of such an analysis is a list of asteroids, ranked with respect to the…
Current practice for asteroid close proximity maneuvers requires extremely accurate characterization of the environmental dynamics and precise spacecraft positioning prior to the maneuver. This creates a delay of several months between the…
We study the stability of charged dust grains orbiting a planet and subject to gravity and the electromagnetic force. Our numerical models cover a broad range of launch distances from the planetary surface to beyond synchronous orbit, and…
This paper introduces a novel attitude controller for spacecraft subject to actuator saturation and multiple exclusion cone constraints. The proposed solution relies on a two-layer approach where the first layer prestabilizes the system…
A method is proposed for constraining the Galactic gravitational potential from high precision observations of the phase space coordinates of a system of relaxed tracers. The method relies on an "ergodic" assumption that the observations…
Orbit determination of spacecraft in orbit has been mostly dependent on either GNSS satellite signals or ground station telemetry. Both methods present their limitations, however: GNSS signals can only be used effectively in earth orbit,…
The work considers the design of an indirect adaptive controller for a satellite equipped with a robotic arm manipulating an object. Uncertainty on the manipulated object can considerably impact the overall behavior of the system. In…
We describe a geometrical method for tracing a planet's orbit using its velocity hodograph, that is, the path of the planet's velocity. The method requires only a straight edge, a compass, and the help of the hodograph. We also obtain…
Beyond the Newtonian approximation, gravitational fields in general relativity can be described using a formalism known as gravitoelectromagnetism. In this formalism a vector potential, the gravitomagnetic potential, arises as a result of…
Exploration of asteroids and comets can give insight into the origins of the solar system and can be instrumental in planetary defence and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). Asteroids, due to their low gravity are a challenging target for…
We numerically investigate how an asteroid's elongation controls the sensitivity of its surface to tidal effects during a distant planetary encounter beyond the Roche limit. We analyze the surface slope and its variation by considering the…