Motion dynamics of a satellite with the inflatable braking device during its descent from the low-Earth orbit
Authors: Khalyavka N.S., Prosuntsov P.V.
Published in issue: #6(162)/2025
Category: Aviation and Rocket-Space Engineering | Chapter: Aircraft Dynamics, Ballistics, Motion Control
The paper studies motion dynamics of a CubeSat nanosatellite with the inflatable braking device (IBD) during its descent from the orbit. Based on simulating the "satellite—IBD" free-molecular flow around, it determines the spacecraft aerodynamic characteristics in the OpenFOAM software package and computes the aerodynamic force coefficients and s-moments depending on velocity, angle of attack and flight altitude. To determine the trajectory and velocity of the satellite with the IBD descent from the orbit under the action of external aerodynamic and gravitational forces, a mathematical model of the motion dynamics is developed. It includes equations of the satellite spatial motion in the spherical-velocity coordinate system, as well as equations of the "satellite—IBD" bundle motion around the center of mass. A block model of the satellite dynamics is constructed taking into account the initial conditions and the external environment impact. Dependence of the satellite altitude, flight speed, angle of attack during the descent is analyzed depending on time. As a result of the simulation, the paper provides an assessment of the applied IBD scheme efficiency and presents data on the expected time of the satellite descent from the orbit.
EDN HTKFHZ
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