Scientific Reports (Sep 2022)

Balancing the effects of solar radiation pressure on the orbital elements of a spacecraft using Lorentz force

  • M. A. Yousef,
  • M. I. El-Saftawy,
  • A. Mostafa

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-20166-y
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1
pp. 1 – 15

Abstract

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Abstract In this work, orbits of Lorentz spacecrafts and satellites are investigated under the perturbation of solar radiation pressure. An attempt is made to control the perturbation of the solar radiation pressure using the effect of Lorentz force that affects an electrically charged spacecraft. The charge per unit mass is the controlling parameter in this process. The redial, transverse and normal components of the mentioned forces are constructed. The Lagrange planetary equations for perturbations in the Keplerian orbital elements are formulated. The formula describing the charge per unit mass, as function of the physical parameter of the problem as well as the orbital elements, were derived. The effects of the combined forces are analytically and numerically studied.