Solutions for motion around artificial equilibrium points

Abstract

This is a research proposal for an internship to be done by the candidate at Texas A&M University under the supervision of professor Daniele Mortari, associated with a postdoctoral research in progress supervised by Antonio Fernando Bertachini de Almeida Prado in Brazil. In this proposal, the candidate will investigate key points relative to his postdoctoral research project previously submitted to FAPESP. The work plan of his research is based on investigations about the motion of a spacecraft around artificial equilibrium points, development and application of integral indices to measure the level of perturbation of an orbit and to study orbital transfer maneuvers. The research proposal regarding the internship encompasses all of these topics through in-depth investigations of each of them. In this research, mathematical tools recently developed by professor Daniele Mortari and co-authors will be used to describe the motion of a spacecraft around artificial equilibrium points. Applications will be done for a spacecraft under the influence of the atmospheric drag. The integral indices subject will be studied in depth as part of the postdoctoral work plan of the candidate. In the first moment, investigations will be done using indices available in the literature, although new indices will be defined and subjected to investigations about their validity too. These indices will be applied in many problems in astrodynamics. The first application of the indices is to minimize the required fuel to close an orbit by using impulses. These subjects are strictly related to the postdoctoral research project of the candidate and are in-depth researches about his studies so far. (AU)