SOLAR SAILING, SIMULINK, IN-SPACE PROPULSION, SOLAR RADIATION PRESSURE, STATION KEEPING

• Main Author: Calista Lydwina, Phoebe
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Teknik (Rekayasa, enjinering dan kegiatan berkaitan)
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/67562
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

This undergraduate thesis elaborates about the utilization of solar radiation pressure for correcting orbit. Solar radiation pressure is a form of momentum that is produced from Sun light’s photon hitting an object and can cause motion. In this work, application of solar radiation pressure as a source for generating force for changing a satellite orbit parameter is elaborated. The possibility of using this approach is proposed as a way for replacing thruster or other conventional force generator (effector) for altering satellite orbit, or at least for reducing the utilization of those conventional effector systems, hence reducing the required energy source for operating the satellite. This reduces the weight of fuel that the spacecraft has to carry during its mission and also uses less cost as the extra fuel required is replaced by a free energy coming from the Sun itself. The amount of solar radiation pressure received by a certain solar sail surface may vary, depending on its dimension, attitude, and the orbit. Each of these aspects can directly affect the amount of force generated by solar sailing with solar radiation pressure, causing some change in the orbit parameters. The basis for solar sail model to be simulated and analyzed in this work comes from LightSail 2 mission. The numerical simulation is carried out by using Simulink in order to find out the best condition or scenario of attitude that can support the station keeping of LightSail 2 satellite. Modeling and simulation results show that by controlling solar sail orientation such that it can be aligned to the sun radiation direction at any position on its orbit, the generated force can alter the orbit parameters quite significantly. In order to have a significant orbit change, effective attitude control that can synchronize and regulate the orientation of the satellite, is required, in this case by utilizing solar pressure control vane.