Cumulative Perturbations Affecting a Spacecraft on a Mars Equatorial Orbit from the Waxing and Waning of the Polar Caps of the Planet ()
ABSTRACT
We demonstrate in this paper that periodic variations of the J2 gravity coefficient of a
planet induce small cumulative perturbations on a given family of circular
equatorial orbits, and that these perturbations could be measurable with
current radiosciences technology. For this purpose, we first consider a
Poincaré expansion of the Newtonian equations of motion. Then, by using Floquet’s
theory, we demonstrate that, unlike the excitation mechanism, the perturbations
are non-periodic, and that the orbit is not “stable” in the long-term, with
perturbations growing exponentially. We give the full theory and an application
to the case of planet Mars.
Share and Cite:
Barriot, J. (2015) Cumulative Perturbations Affecting a Spacecraft on a Mars Equatorial Orbit from the Waxing and Waning of the Polar Caps of the Planet.
Open Access Library Journal,
2, 1-9. doi:
10.4236/oalib.1102272.
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