An investigation of an expanding elliptical earth escape trajectory for a low thrust space vehicle
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Author
Drews, Sheldon
Goldner, Robert Reilly
Treiber, Arthur Edgar
Date
1961-06-01Advisor
Sandorff, Paul E.
Metadata
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This thesis studies the advantages and disadvantages of an expanding elliptical acceleration maneuver for a space vehicle, in chic a low level acceleration is applied tangentially for small arcs of true anomaly centered at perigee. The main advantage of this type of orbit is fuel economy. The elliptical orbit requires less than half the total thrust of an expanding circular spiral using the same acceleration. The elliptical maneuver requires much greater total time, due to the large amount of non-thrusting time in each orbit. Typical of low thrust acceleration orbits, much of the accelerating time is spent in the high density Van Allen radiation regions. For these two reasons, a vehicle which remains unmanned until escape energy is neared, is considered. The problem of orbital rendezvous and re supply is considered and deemed feasible using a single stage reuseable ferry vehicle. The acceleration orbit may be stabilized in a polar plane so that, as escape energy is neared, the orbit is completely clear of the high radiation Van Allen regions.
Description
This thesis document was issued under the authority of another institution, not NPS. At the time it was written, a copy was added to the NPS Library Collection for reasons not now known. It has been included in the digital archive for its historical value to NPS. Not believed to be a CIVINS (Civilian Institutions) title.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.Collections
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