Orbital Mechanics

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Orbital Mechanics Orbital Mechanics •• Planetary launcch and entry ovverview •• Energy and vvelocity in orbit •• Elliliptical orbit parameters •• Orrbiittaal elleemeenttss •• Coplanar orbital transfers •• Nonccoplanar ttransfferss •• Tiime iin orrbiitt •• Interplanetary trajectoriess •• Relative orbital motion (“proximity operations”)) © 2009 David L. Akin - All rights reserved http://spacecraft.ssl.umd.edu U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND Space Launch - The Physics •• Minimum orbital altitude is ~200 km Potential Energy µµ µµ 66 J = − + = 11..99 × 10 kg in orbit rrorbit rrE kg •• Circular orbital velocity there is 7784 m/sec 11 Kinetic Energy µµ 66 J = = 30 × 10 22 22 kg in orbit rrorbit kg •• Total energy per kg in orbit Total Energy 66 J = KE + P E = 32 × 10 kg in orbit kg U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND Theoretical Cost to Orbit •• Convvert to usual energy units T ootta Eneergyy 66 J W rs = 32 × 10 = 88..888 kg in orbit kg kkgg •• Domestic energy costs are ~$0.05/kWhrr ! Theoretical cost to orbit $0.44/kg U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND Actual Cost to Orbit •• Deelltta IIV Heeaavvyy – 23,000 kg to LEO – $250 M per flight •• $$10,,990000/kg of paayylloaad •• Faactor of 25,000x higherr than theoretical energyy costs! U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND What About Airplanes? •• For an aircraft in levvel flight, Weight Lift mg L = , or = Thrust Drag T D •• Energy = force x distancee, so Total Energy thrust × distance T dd ggdd = = = kg mass m L/D •• For an airliner (L/D=25) to equal orbital energy,, d=81,000 km (2 roundtrips NY-Sydney) U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND Equivalent Airline Costs? • Average economy ticket NY-Sydney round- round-trip (Travelocity 9/3/09) ~$1300 • Average passenger (+ luggage) ~100 kg • Two round trips = $26/kg – Factor of 60x more than electrical energy costs – Factor of 420x less than current launch costs • But… you get to refuel at each stop! U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND Equivalence to Air Transport • 81,000 km ~ twice around the world • Voyager - one of only two aircraft to ever circle the world non-stop, non-refueled - once! U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND Orbital Entry - The Physics • 32 MJ/kg dissipated by friction with atmosphere over ~8 min = 66kW/kg • Pure graphite (carbon) high-temperature material: cp=709 J/kg°K • Orbital energy would cause temperature gain of 45,000°K! • (If you’re interesting in how this works out, you can take ENAE 791 Launch and Entry Vehicle Design next term...) U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND Differences in Inclination Line of Nodes U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND Choosing the Wrong Line of Apsides U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND Simple Plane Change v 1 ! v 2 v apogee v v perigee 2 U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND Patched Conic - Lunar Orbit Insertion • The spacecraft is now in a hyperbolic orbit of the moon. The velocity it will have at the perilune point tangent to the desired 100 km low lunar orbit is 2µm 2(4667.9) km v = v2 + = 1.0182 + = 2.451 pm h rLLO 1878 sec • The required delta-V to slow down into low lunar orbit is 4667.9 km ∆v = v − v = 2.451 − = 0.874 pm cm 1878 sec U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND ! V Requirements for Lunar Missions To: Low Earth Lunar Low Lunar Lunar Lunar Orbit Transfer Orbit Descent Landing From: Orbit Orbit Low Earth 3.107 Orbit km/sec Lunar 3.107 0.837 3.140 Transfer km/sec km/sec km/sec Orbit Low Lunar 0.837 0.022 Orbit km/sec km/sec Lunar 0.022 2.684 Descent km/sec km/sec Orbit Lunar 2.890 2.312 Landing km/sec km/sec U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND LOI ! V Based on Landing Site U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND Hill’s Equations (Proximity Operations) 2 ˙˙ = 3 + 2 ˙ + x n x n y adx ˙˙ = "2 ˙ + y n x ady 2 ˙˙ = " + z n z ad z Ref: J. E. Prussing and B. A. Conway, Orbital Mechanics Oxford University Press, 1993 U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND Clohessy-Wiltshire (“CW”) Equations sin(nt ) 2 = " + ˙ + " ˙ x(t ) [ 4 3cos(nt )] xo x o [1 cos(nt )] yo n n 2 4sin(nt ) " 3nt = " + " " ˙ + ˙ y(t ) 6[s in(nt ) nt ] xo yo [1 cos(nt )] xo yo n n z ˙o z t = z nt + nt ( ) o cos( ) sin( ) n z˙ t = " z n nt + z˙ nt ( ) o sin( ) o sin( ) U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND “V-Bar” Approach Ref: Collins, Meissinger, and Bell, Small Orbit Transfer Vehicle (OTV) for On-Orbit Satellite Servicing and Resupply , 15th USU Small Satellite Conference, 2001 U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND “R-Bar” Approach • Approach from along the radius vector (“R- bar”) • Gravity gradients decelerate spacecraft approach velocity - low contamination approach • Used for Mir, ISS docking approaches Ref: Collins, Meissinger, and Bell, Small Orbit Transfer Vehicle (OTV) for On-Orbit Satellite Servicing and Resupply , 15th USU Small Satellite Conference, 2001 U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND References for This Lecture • Wernher von Braun, The Mars Project University of Illinois Press, 1962 • William Tyrrell Thomson, Introduction to Space Dynamics Dover Publications, 1986 • Francis J. Hale, Introduction to Space Flight Prentice- Hall, 1994 • William E. Wiesel, Spaceflight Dynamics MacGraw- Hill, 1997 • J. E. Prussing and B. A. Conway, Orbital Mechanics Oxford University Press, 1993 U N I V E R S I T Y O F Orbital Mechanics MARYLAND.
Recommended publications
  • Brief Introduction to Orbital Mechanics Page 1
    Brief Introduction to Orbital Mechanics Page 1 Brief Introduction to Orbital Mechanics We wish to work out the specifics of the orbital geometry of satellites. We begin by employing Newton's laws of motion to determine the orbital period of a satellite. The first equation of motion is F = ma (1) where m is mass, in kg, and a is acceleration, in m/s2. The Earth produces a gravitational field equal to Gm g(r) = − E r^ (2) r2 24 −11 2 2 where mE = 5:972 × 10 kg is the mass of the Earth and G = 6:674 × 10 N · m =kg is the gravitational constant. The gravitational force acting on the satellite is then equal to Gm mr^ Gm mr F = − E = − E : (3) in r2 r3 This force is inward (towards the Earth), and as such is defined as a centripetal force acting on the satellite. Since the product of mE and G is a constant, we can define µ = mEG = 3:986 × 1014 N · m2=kg which is known as Kepler's constant. Then, µmr F = − : (4) in r3 This force is illustrated in Figure 1(a). An equal and opposite force acts on the satellite called the centrifugal force, also shown. This force keeps the satellite moving in a circular path with linear speed, away from the axis of rotation. Hence we can define a centrifugal acceleration as the change in velocity produced by the satellite moving in a circular path with respect to time, which keeps the satellite moving in a circular path without falling into the centre.
    [Show full text]
  • 2. Orbital Mechanics MAE 342 2016
    2/12/20 Orbital Mechanics Space System Design, MAE 342, Princeton University Robert Stengel Conic section orbits Equations of motion Momentum and energy Kepler’s Equation Position and velocity in orbit Copyright 2016 by Robert Stengel. All rights reserved. For educational use only. http://www.princeton.edu/~stengel/MAE342.html 1 1 Orbits 101 Satellites Escape and Capture (Comets, Meteorites) 2 2 1 2/12/20 Two-Body Orbits are Conic Sections 3 3 Classical Orbital Elements Dimension and Time a : Semi-major axis e : Eccentricity t p : Time of perigee passage Orientation Ω :Longitude of the Ascending/Descending Node i : Inclination of the Orbital Plane ω: Argument of Perigee 4 4 2 2/12/20 Orientation of an Elliptical Orbit First Point of Aries 5 5 Orbits 102 (2-Body Problem) • e.g., – Sun and Earth or – Earth and Moon or – Earth and Satellite • Circular orbit: radius and velocity are constant • Low Earth orbit: 17,000 mph = 24,000 ft/s = 7.3 km/s • Super-circular velocities – Earth to Moon: 24,550 mph = 36,000 ft/s = 11.1 km/s – Escape: 25,000 mph = 36,600 ft/s = 11.3 km/s • Near escape velocity, small changes have huge influence on apogee 6 6 3 2/12/20 Newton’s 2nd Law § Particle of fixed mass (also called a point mass) acted upon by a force changes velocity with § acceleration proportional to and in direction of force § Inertial reference frame § Ratio of force to acceleration is the mass of the particle: F = m a d dv(t) ⎣⎡mv(t)⎦⎤ = m = ma(t) = F ⎡ ⎤ dt dt vx (t) ⎡ f ⎤ ⎢ ⎥ x ⎡ ⎤ d ⎢ ⎥ fx f ⎢ ⎥ m ⎢ vy (t) ⎥ = ⎢ y ⎥ F = fy = force vector dt
    [Show full text]
  • Orbital Mechanics Course Notes
    Orbital Mechanics Course Notes David J. Westpfahl Professor of Astrophysics, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology March 31, 2011 2 These are notes for a course in orbital mechanics catalogued as Aerospace Engineering 313 at New Mexico Tech and Aerospace Engineering 362 at New Mexico State University. This course uses the text “Fundamentals of Astrodynamics” by R.R. Bate, D. D. Muller, and J. E. White, published by Dover Publications, New York, copyright 1971. The notes do not follow the book exclusively. Additional material is included when I believe that it is needed for clarity, understanding, historical perspective, or personal whim. We will cover the material recommended by the authors for a one-semester course: all of Chapter 1, sections 2.1 to 2.7 and 2.13 to 2.15 of Chapter 2, all of Chapter 3, sections 4.1 to 4.5 of Chapter 4, and as much of Chapters 6, 7, and 8 as time allows. Purpose The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to orbital me- chanics. Students who complete the course successfully will be prepared to participate in basic space mission planning. By basic mission planning I mean the planning done with closed-form calculations and a calculator. Stu- dents will have to master additional material on numerical orbit calculation before they will be able to participate in detailed mission planning. There is a lot of unfamiliar material to be mastered in this course. This is one field of human endeavor where engineering meets astronomy and ce- lestial mechanics, two fields not usually included in an engineering curricu- lum.
    [Show full text]
  • Orbital Mechanics
    Orbital Mechanics Part 1 Orbital Forces Why a Sat. remains in orbit ? Bcs the centrifugal force caused by the Sat. rotation around earth is counter- balanced by the Earth's Pull. Kepler’s Laws The Satellite (Spacecraft) which orbits the earth follows the same laws that govern the motion of the planets around the sun. J. Kepler (1571-1630) was able to derive empirically three laws describing planetary motion I. Newton was able to derive Keplers laws from his own laws of mechanics [gravitation theory] Kepler’s 1st Law (Law of Orbits) The path followed by a Sat. (secondary body) orbiting around the primary body will be an ellipse. The center of mass (barycenter) of a two-body system is always centered on one of the foci (earth center). Kepler’s 1st Law (Law of Orbits) The eccentricity (abnormality) e: a 2 b2 e a b- semiminor axis , a- semimajor axis VIN: e=0 circular orbit 0<e<1 ellip. orbit Orbit Calculations Ellipse is the curve traced by a point moving in a plane such that the sum of its distances from the foci is constant. Kepler’s 2nd Law (Law of Areas) For equal time intervals, a Sat. will sweep out equal areas in its orbital plane, focused at the barycenter VIN: S1>S2 at t1=t2 V1>V2 Max(V) at Perigee & Min(V) at Apogee Kepler’s 3rd Law (Harmonic Law) The square of the periodic time of orbit is proportional to the cube of the mean distance between the two bodies. a 3 n 2 n- mean motion of Sat.
    [Show full text]
  • ORBITAL MECHANICS Toys in Space
    ORBITAL MECHANICS Toys in Space Suggested TEKS: Grade Level: 5 Science - 5.2 5.3 Language Arts - 5.10 5.13 Suggested SCANS: Time Required: 30 minutes per toy Technology. Apply technology to task. National Science and Math Standards Science as Inquiry, Earth & Space Science, Science & Technology, Physical Science, Reasoning, Observing, Communicating Countdown: “Rat Stuff” pop-over mouse by Tomy Corp., Carson, CA 90745 Yo-Yo flight model is a yellow Duncan Imperial by Duncan Toy Co., Barbaoo, WI 53913 Wheelo flight model by Jak Pak, Inc. Milwaukee, WI 53201 “Snoopy” Top flight model by Ohio Art, Bryan, OH 43506 Slinky model #100 by James Industries, Inc., Hollidaysburg, PA 16648 Gyroscope flight model by Chandler Gyroscope Mfg., Co., Hagerstown, NJ 47346 Magnetic Marbles by Magnetic Marbles, Inc., Woodinville, WA Wind up Car by Darda Toy Company, East Brunswick, NJ Jacks flight set made by Wells Mfg. Cl., New Vienna, OH 45159 Paddleball flight model by Chemtoy, a division of Strombecker Corp, Chicago, IL 60624 Note: Special Toys in Space Collections are available from various distributors including Museum Products, the Air & Space Museum in Washington, DC, and many are on loan from your local Texas Agricultural Extension Agent Ignition: Gravity’s downward pull dominates the behavior of toys on earth. It is hard to imagine how a familiar toy would behave in weightless conditions. Discover gravity by playing with the toys that flew in space. Try the experiments described in the Toys in Space guidebook. Decide how gravity affects each toy’s performance. Then make predictions about toy space behaviors. If possible, watch the Toys in Space videotape or study a Toys in Space poster (video available through your local Texas Agricultural Extension Agent).
    [Show full text]
  • Orbital Mechanics of Gravitational Slingshots 1 Introduction 2 Approach
    Orbital Mechanics of Gravitational Slingshots Final Paper 15-424: Foundations of Cyber-Physical Systems Adam Moran, [email protected] John Mann, [email protected] May 1, 2016 Abstract A gravitational slingshot is a maneuver to save fuel by using the gravity of a planet to accelerate or decelerate a spacecraft. Due to the large distances and high speeds involved, slingshots require precise accuracy to accomplish | the slightest mistake could cause the whole mission to fail. Therefore, we have developed a cyber-physical system to model the physics and prove the safety and efficiency of powered and unpowered gravitational slingshots. We present our findings and proof in this paper. 1 Introduction A gravitational slingshot is a maneuver performed to increase or decrease the speed of a spacecraft by simply approaching planetary bodies. A spacecraft's usefulness and maneuverability is basically tied to the amount of fuel it can carry, and the more fuel a spacecraft holds, the more fuel it needs to carry that fuel into orbit. Therefore, gravitational slingshots are a very appealing way to save mass, and therefore money, on deep-space missions since these maneuvers do not require any fuel. As missions conducted by national and private space programs become more frequent and ambitious, the need for these precise maneuvers will increase. Therefore, we have created a cyber-physical system that models the physics of a gravitational slingshot for a spacecraft approaching a planet. In the "Approach" section of this paper, we give a brief overview of the physics involved with orbits and gravitational slingshots. In the "Models and Properties" section of this paper, we describe what assumptions and simplifications we made to model these astrophysics in a way for us to prove our desired properties with KeYmaeraX.
    [Show full text]
  • Orbital Mechanics Joe Spier, K6WAO – AMSAT Director for Education ARRL 100Th Centennial Educational Forum 1 History
    Orbital Mechanics Joe Spier, K6WAO – AMSAT Director for Education ARRL 100th Centennial Educational Forum 1 History Astrology » Pseudoscience based on several systems of divination based on the premise that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world. » Many cultures have attached importance to astronomical events, and the Indians, Chinese, and Mayans developed elaborate systems for predicting terrestrial events from celestial observations. » In the West, astrology most often consists of a system of horoscopes purporting to explain aspects of a person's personality and predict future events in their life based on the positions of the sun, moon, and other celestial objects at the time of their birth. » The majority of professional astrologers rely on such systems. 2 History Astronomy » Astronomy is a natural science which is the study of celestial objects (such as stars, galaxies, planets, moons, and nebulae), the physics, chemistry, and evolution of such objects, and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth, including supernovae explosions, gamma ray bursts, and cosmic microwave background radiation. » Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences. » Prehistoric cultures have left astronomical artifacts such as the Egyptian monuments and Nubian monuments, and early civilizations such as the Babylonians, Greeks, Chinese, Indians, Iranians and Maya performed methodical observations of the night sky. » The invention of the telescope was required before astronomy was able to develop into a modern science. » Historically, astronomy has included disciplines as diverse as astrometry, celestial navigation, observational astronomy and the making of calendars, but professional astronomy is nowadays often considered to be synonymous with astrophysics.
    [Show full text]
  • Geosynchronous Patrol Orbit for Space Situational Awareness
    Geosynchronous patrol orbit for space situational awareness Blair Thompson, Thomas Kelecy, Thomas Kubancik Applied Defense Solutions Tim Flora, Michael Chylla, Debra Rose Sierra Nevada Corporation ABSTRACT Applying eccentricity to a geosynchronous orbit produces both longitudinal and radial motion when viewed in Earth-fixed coordinates. An interesting family of orbits emerges, useful for “neighborhood patrol” space situational awareness and other missions. The basic result is a periodic (daily), quasi- elliptical, closed path around a fixed region of the geosynchronous (geo) orbit belt, keeping a sensor spacecraft in relatively close vicinity to designated geo objects. The motion is similar, in some regards, to the relative motion that may be encountered during spacecraft proximity operations, but on a much larger scale. The patrol orbit does not occupy a fixed slot in the geo belt, and the east-west motion can be combined with north-south motion caused by orbital inclination, leading to even greater versatility. Some practical uses of the geo patrol orbit include space surveillance (including catalog maintenance), and general space situational awareness. The patrol orbit offers improved, diverse observation geom- etry for angles-only sensors, resulting in faster, more accurate orbit determination compared to simple inclined geo orbits. In this paper, we analyze the requirements for putting a spacecraft in a patrol orbit, the unique station keeping requirements to compensate for perturbations, repositioning the patrol orbit to a different location along the geo belt, maneuvering into, around, and out of the volume for proximity operations with objects within the volume, and safe end-of-life disposal requirements. 1. INTRODUCTION The traditional geosynchronous (“geosynch” or “geo”) orbit is designed to keep a spacecraft in a nearly fixed position (longitude, latitude, and altitude) with respect to the rotating Earth.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 11 Satellite Orbits
    CHAPTER 11 SATELLITE ORBITS 11.1 Orbital Mechanics Newton's laws of motion provide the basis for the orbital mechanics. Newton's three laws are briefly (a) the law of inertia which states that a body at rest remains at rest and a body in motion remains in motion unless acted upon by a force, (b) force equals the rate of change of momentum for a body, and (c) the law of equal but opposite forces. For a two body system comprising of the earth and a much smaller object such as a satellite, the motion of the body in the central gravitational field can be written → → dv / dt = -GM r / r3 → where v is the velocity of the body in its orbit, G is the universal gravitational constant (6.67 x 10**11 N m**2/kg**2), M is the mass of the earth, and r is position vector from the centre of mass of the system (assumed to be at the centre of the earth). The radial part of this equation has the more explicit form m d2r/dt2 - mrω2 = -GMm/r2 where ω is the angular velocity and m is the satellite mass. The second term on the left side of the equation is often referred to as the centrifugal force The total energy of the body in its orbit is a constant and is given by the sum of the kinetic and potential energies E = 1/2 m [(dr/dt)2 + r2ω2] - mMG/r . The angular momentum is also conserved so that L = mωr2 , which allows us to rewrite the energy E = 1/2 m (dr/dt)2 + L2/(2mr2) - mMG/r .
    [Show full text]
  • Orbital Mechanics Third Edition
    Orbital Mechanics Third Edition Edited by Vladimir A. Chobotov EDUCATION SERIES J. S. Przemieniecki Series Editor-in-Chief Air Force Institute of Technology Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio Publishedby AmericanInstitute of Aeronauticsand Astronautics,Inc. 1801 AlexanderBell Drive, Reston, Virginia20191-4344 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., Reston, Virginia Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Orbital mechanics / edited by Vladimir A. Chobotov.--3rd ed. p. cm.--(AIAA education series) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Orbital mechanics. 2. Artificial satellites--Orbits. 3. Navigation (Astronautics). I. Chobotov, Vladimir A. II. Series. TLI050.O73 2002 629.4/113--dc21 ISBN 1-56347-537-5 (hardcover : alk. paper) 2002008309 Copyright © 2002 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Data and information appearing in this book are for informational purposes only. AIAA and the authors are not responsible for any injury or damage resulting from use or reliance, nor does AIAA or the authors warrant that use or reliance will be free from privately owned rights. Foreword The third edition of Orbital Mechanics edited by V. A. Chobotov complements five other space-related texts published in the Education Series of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA): Re-Entry Vehicle Dynamics by F. J. Regan, An Introduction to the Mathematics and Methods of Astrodynamics by R.
    [Show full text]
  • Exploring Space Through Math
    Key Concepts It All Comes Full Circle Properties of circles, similarity Instructional Objectives The 5-E’s Instructional Model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Extend, and Problem Duration Evaluate) will be used to accomplish the following objectives. 50 minutes Students will • use geometric definitions to describe the properties of circles; Technology • find the circumference of circles; Computer with projector, • calculate arc lengths; movie player • find the measure of central angles; and Materials • use the properties of similarity, such as scale factor. - It All Comes Full Circle Student Edition Prerequisites - Real World: Calculating Shuttle Launch Windows Students should have prior knowledge of the geometric principles of circles, video circumference, central angles, arc length, and scale factor. Skills Background Identify circumference, This problem is part of a series that applies mathematical principles in central angles, arc NASA’s human spaceflight. length, scale factor The International Space Station (ISS) is an internationally developed research facility and is the largest human-built satellite in Earth’s orbit. It NCTM Standards travels around Earth at an altitude of approximately 250 miles (400 km). It - Number Operations is an incredible and complex engineering endeavor that has been - Algebra assembled while in orbit. - Geometry Construction of the ISS began in November 1998, when Russia placed the Zarya module in orbit. With the exception of the Russian Zvezda module and Zarya module, all other modules were delivered by a NASA space shuttle. Each module was installed by ISS and space shuttle crewmembers during spacewalks and using a robotic arm. The space shuttle is the only space vehicle capable of carrying the large modules that make up the ISS.
    [Show full text]
  • Orbital Slots for Everyone?
    CENTER FOR SPACE POLICY AND STRATEGY MARCH 2017 ORBITAL SLOTS FOR EVERYONE? JOSEPH W. GANGESTAD THE AEROSPACE CORPORATION © 2017 The Aerospace Corporation. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names contained herein are the property of their respective owners. Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. OTR201700473 JOSEPH W. GANGESTAD Joseph W. Gangestad, Ph.D., is an expert in orbital mechanics and space-system architectures at The Aerospace Corporation. In addition to publishing several scholarly journal articles in the field of astrodynamics, he authored the articles on “Celestial Mechanics” and “Orbital Motion” for the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. He is also the author of Good Grad! A Practical Guide to Graduate School in the Sciences and Engineering. ABOUT THE CENTER FOR SPACE POLICY AND STRATEGY The Center for Space Policy and Strategy is a specialized research branch within The Aerospace Corporation, a nonprofit organization that operates a federally funded research and development center providing objective technical analysis for programs of national significance. Established in 2000 as a Center of Excellence for civil, commercial, and national security space and technology policy, the Center examines issues at the intersection of technology and policy and provides nonpartisan research for national decisionmakers. Contact us at www.aerospace.org/policy or [email protected] Foreword “New Space” entrepreneurs propose constellations that number in the thousands of satellites, and in the rapidly evolving space industry, they may very well succeed. But constellations of this size bring greater risk for collisions and the creation of debris, and no organization is responsible for assessing how they may impact the broader space community.
    [Show full text]