Effects of in-track maneuver on Sun illumination conditions of near-circular low Earth orbits

Abstract

By developing approximate analytical models considering the J2 perturbation, the effects of an in-track maneuver on the orbital Sun illumination conditions of near-circular low Earth orbits are analyzed. First, two approximate models for the variations in orbital sunshine angles are developed, one for variations at a given time and the other for variations at a given argument of latitude. Next, two approximate models for variations in orbital arc in Earth shadow are developed, one considers the small eccentricity and the other uses the zero eccentricity. Finally, the developed approximate models are applied to analyzing the Sun illumination conditions of a typical in-track maneuver mission on a near-circular low Earth orbit. From the results obtained, three major conclusions can be drawn. First, the variations in orbital sunshine angles at a given time may reach tens of degrees when the drifting time reaches hundreds of orbital periods, and the approximate model for that situation cannot effectively approach the numerical results. Second, the variations in orbital sunshine angles for any given argument of latitude are only a couple of degrees even when the drifting time reaches 500 orbital periods, and the approximation model developed can effectively approach the numerical results. Third, for variations in orbital arc in Earth shadow, the approximate model considering the small eccentricity has simple expressions and can effectively approach the numerical results; in contrast, the approximate model using the zero eccentricity has relatively worse precision.