High-fidelity trajectory design to flyby near-Earth asteroids using CubeSats

Fast development of CubeSat technology now enables the first interplanetary missions. The potential application of CubeSats to flyby near-Earth asteroids is explored in this paper in consideration of CubeSats' limited propulsive capabilities and systems constraints. Low-energy asteroid flyby tr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta astronautica 2020-02, Vol.167, p.146-163
Main Authors: Machuca, P., Sánchez, J.P., Masdemont, J.J., Gómez, G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Asteroid missions
Asteroids
Computation
Cubesat
Flyby missions
Interplanetary CubeSats
Lagrangian equilibrium points
Low-thrust trajectories
Model accuracy
Near-Earth asteroids
Near-Earth Objects
Space missions
Sun-Earth Lagrange points
Three body problem
Trajectory design
Voyager 1 spacecraft
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Summary:Fast development of CubeSat technology now enables the first interplanetary missions. The potential application of CubeSats to flyby near-Earth asteroids is explored in this paper in consideration of CubeSats' limited propulsive capabilities and systems constraints. Low-energy asteroid flyby trajectories are designed assuming a CubeSat is initially parked around to the Sun-Earth Lagrange points. High-impulse and low-thrust trajectories with realistic thrusting models are computed first in the Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem (CR3BP), and then in a high-fidelity ephemeris model. Analysis in the ephemeris model is used to confirm that trajectories computed in the CR3BP model also exist in a more realistic dynamical model, and to verify the validity of the results obtained in CR3BP analysis. A catalogue of asteroid flyby opportunities between years 2019 and 2030 is provided, with 80 m/s of available ΔV and departure from halo orbits around the first and second Sun-Earth Lagrange points (of similar size to those typically used by scientific missions). Results show that the CR3BP model can serve as an effective tool to identify reachable asteroids and can provide an initial estimation of the ΔV cost in the ephemeris model (with ±15 m/s accuracy). An impulsive maneuver model can also provide an accurate estimation of the ΔV requirement for a CubeSat equipped with a high-impulse thruster (with 4 m/s accuracy), even if its thrust magnitude is small and requires duty cycling; low-thrust ΔV requirements, however, may differ significantly from the impulsive results (±15 m/s). •Asteroid flyby opportunities using CubeSats are common despite their limitations.•ΔV costs below 80 m/s are possible if deployed around the Sun-Earth Lagrange points.•CR3BP is an effective tool to identify target asteroids and estimate ephemeris cost.•Non-impulsive ΔV cost is accurately approximated by an impulsive maneuver model.•Low-thrust ΔV cost can be approximated by an impulsive maneuver model within 15 m/s.
ISSN:0094-5765
1879-2030
DOI:10.1016/j.actaastro.2019.09.041