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Pseudo-Drag-Free System Simulation for Bepicolombo Radio Science Using Accelerometer Data

Cappuccio, Paolo; di Stefano, Ivan; Iess, Luciano +6 more

The Mercury Orbiter Radio Science Experiment onboard the European Space Agency/Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) BepiColombo mission aims at determining the gravity field and the rotational state of the planet to provide insight into its internal structure and at performing tests of general relativity. The experiment will rely on accurate …

B-Plane Resonant Flybys: Theory Extension to Elliptical Orbits and Dynamic Programming Application

Colombo, Camilla; Campiti, Giulio; Masat, Alessandro

A convenient formalism for the design of resonant flyby trajectories is the B-plane, where postencounter orbits with target resonance conditions or semimajor axes can be analytically mapped. This framework has been developed by many authors starting from the classical Öpik's theory for close encounters, but it still relies on the approximation of …

Analytical Framework for Space Debris Collision Avoidance Maneuver Design

Di Lizia, Pierluigi; Colombo, Camilla; Gonzalo, Juan Luis

An analytical formulation for collision avoidance maneuvers involving a spacecraft and a space debris is presented, including solutions for the maximum deviation and minimum collision probability cases. Gauss' planetary equations and relative motion equations are used to map maneuvers at a given time to displacements at the predicted close approac…

Recursive Range Estimation Using Astrophysical Signals of Opportunity

Runnels, Joel T.; Gebre-Egziabher, Demoz