Output details
12 - Aeronautical, Mechanical, Chemical and Manufacturing Engineering
University of Strathclyde
Analytic perturbative theories in highly inhomogeneous gravitational fields
This paper presents a new analytical method for rapidly generating low-fuel orbits for spacecraft around asteroids. This work is an output of a European Space Agency study titled "Analytical perturbative theories of motion in highly inhomogeneous gravitational fields". Contract number 4000104571/11/NL/KML. The Advanced Concepts Team at European Space Agency (led by Leopold Summerer leopold.summerer@esa.int) are now exploring the possibility of exploiting this method in future mission applications to asteroids. The paper was awarded the “Celestial Mechanics for Planet Earth” prize at The Sixth International Meeting on Celestial Mechanics, San Martino al Cimino (Italy), September 2013.