Thesis
Pathos: a MATLAB-based weak stability boundary orbital trajectory simulator for use in interplanetary mission design
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Sep 2012
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-4127
Abstract
Trajectory design is traditionally performed under very strict constraints or simplifications. This is because full-force models have thus far eluded analytical solution. One common simplification is the two-body assumption, where the only bodies considered are the spacecraft and a central mass. This simplification yields fairly accurate results for a small number of specific cases (binary stars, low-Earth orbit). However, once the orbital regime enters the interplanetary range, where multiple gravitational bodies are relevant, simple two-body calculations prove inadequate. In response, the patched-conic approach was used, where multiple two-body trajectories would be "patched" together to form an approximate path for the spacecraft. This approach, however, still employed the two-body simplification and so the hidden constraints of the two-body problem are carried over. Consequently, while this method produces useful trajectories, it does not yield the most efficient ones. While the n-body problem had not been explicitly solved, numerical methods with modern computational software programs can be used to identify extremely efficient trajectories by taking into account a greater number of bodies. It was recently discovered that gravitational pathways linking the Solar System's Lagrange points can provide extremely cheap interplanetary travel. While only a handful of missions have flown these so-called "Weak Stability Boundary" (WSB) trajectories in the past, they have the potential to gain widespread use for their extremely low fuel costs. This document will discuss the construction of these WSB trajectories through the use of a Dead-Reckoning numerical simulation tool, called PATHOS, which accounts for at least 3-body gravitational effects. The simulation will be used to generate a group of sample trajectories as validation, as well as compared against similar software tools.
Metrics
68 File views/ downloads
91 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Pathos
- Creators
- Eric Tran - DU
- Contributors
- Jin S. Kang (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- College of Engineering (1970-2026); Mechanical Engineering (and Mechanics) (1970-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 4127; 991014632557504721