A study of the orbital maneuvers required to avoid a collison with a cloud of particles
by
Claudia C Celestino
INPE
Coauthors: O.C. Winter and A.F.B.A. Prado

The main idea of the present paper is to make a study of the orbital maneuvers required by a satellite to escape from a collision with a cloud of particles. The formulation of the problem will include the existence of a cloud of particles, that resulted from a explosion of a satellite. Two cases were considered. In the first one the particles are subjected only to the perturbation of the radiation pressure and in the second case the effects of the flattening of the Earth is also included. The solar radiation causes a variation in the eccentricity of the particle. So, a particle in an initial circular orbit will became elliptic and its velocity will change. For the control available to maneuver the satellite, we consider the impulsive system, that is able to deliver a high level of thrust in a infinitesimal time.

Date received: March 16, 2008