General 3D H-reversal trajectories for high-speed sailcraft

Abstract

The theory of orbital angular momentum ( H) reversal mode has been published in earlier papers. It represents a way to speed up heliocentric sailcraft considerably. Two trajectory classes have been previously considered: (a) 2D trajectories, (b) hybrid 2D–3D trajectories. If the sail axis is given a 2D control constant in the heliocentric orbital frame (HOF), then both classes exhibit the property that the sailcraft’s H crosses the zero value. The vehicle high-speed feature is the subsequent result of such an event. This paper deals with a more general class of 3D trajectories by avoiding a discontinuity that arises when one tries to apply a 3D constant-in-HOF sail control across the H=0 event. The general dynamical output of the classes (a) and (b) still hold in this new more-realistic H-reversal sailing mode.