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Optimal trajectories for the Aeroassisted Flight Experiment. Part 1: Equations of motion in an Earth-fixed systemThe determination of optimal trajectories for the aeroassisted flight experiment (AFE) is discussed. The AFE refers to the study of the free flight of an autonomous spacecraft, shuttle-launched and shuttle-recovered. Its purpose is to gather atmospheric entry environmental data for use in designing aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicles (AOTV). It is assumed that: (1) the spacecraft is a particle of constant mass; (2) the Earth is rotating with constant angular velocity; (3) the Earth is an oblate planet, and the gravitational potential depends on both the radial distance and the latitude (harmonics of order higher than four are ignored); and (4) the atmosphere is at rest with respect to the Earth. Under these assumptions, the equations of motion for hypervelocity atmospheric flight (which can be used not only for AFE problems, but also for AOT problems and space shuttle problems) are derived in an Earth-fixed system. Transformation relations are supplied which allow one to pass from quantities computed in an Earth-fixed system to quantities computed in an inertial system, and vice versa.
Document ID
19900004125
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Contractor Report (CR)
Authors
Miele, A. (Rice Univ. Houston, TX, United States)
Zhao, Z. G. (Rice Univ. Houston, TX, United States)
Lee, W. Y. (Rice Univ. Houston, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1989
Subject Category
Astrodynamics
Report/Patent Number
NAS 1.26:186134
NASA-CR-186134
AAR-238-PT-1
Accession Number
90N13441
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG8-755
CONTRACT_GRANT: JPL-956415
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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