Analytical model for the motion of a low-thrust spacecraft
Francesco Biscani
Last modified: 2010-03-31
Abstract
We present an analytical model for the motion of a spacecraft equipped with low-thrust propulsion in a keplerian gravitational field. The model is derived through the automated application of analytical perturbation theories using a specialised algebraic manipulation package. Key features of the package (such as fast polynomial/poisson series arithmetics) and applications to mission analysis are presented and discussed.