Efeito da pressão de radiação sobre uma vela solar em torno de Mercúrio

Abstract

In this research, we analyze the dynamics of artificial satellites around Mercury taking into account the main disturbing effects. We consider a satellite that uses the Solar Sail as a propulsion mechanism. In the disturbing potential are considered the forces due to the non-uniform distribution of Mercury mass, the gravitational disturbance due to the Sun (effect of the third body) and the Solar Radiation Pressure (SRP). The Solar Sail is a type of propulsion that uses the Solar Radiation Pressure to generate acceleration, gains momentum by reflecting the photons that will transfer its energy to the solar sails, making the ship move. In addition to lowering fuel costs for future orbit corrections after their launch, Solar Sails are sustainable because they use solar energy, clean and renewable energy. A set of simulations is presented in search of orbits that release around an equilibrium point with little variation of the orbital elements, two of which are, in particular, the argument of the pericenter (g) and the eccentricity (e), that is, almost frozen orbits. The spacecraft's disturbing potential is replaced in Lagrange's planetary equations and integrated numerically using Maple Software. Simulations are carried out using data from the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO) of the BepiColombo mission, a satellite launched on October 19, 2018 and expected to arrive at Mercury in 2021. The objective of this work is to study the stability of the orbits almost circular, mainly in terms of the maintenance of the major semi-axis (a), the eccentricity (e) and the argument of the pericenter (g), making simulations with and without the Solar Sail within certain pre-fixed limits.