Date of Award
12-2021
Access Type
Thesis - Open Access
Degree Name
Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering
Department
Aeronautical Science
Committee Chair
Dr. Troy Henderson
First Committee Member
Dr. Mihhail Berezovski
Second Committee Member
Dr. Dongeun Seo
Abstract
Satellites have used gravity assists to increase their speed when exploring the solar system. This same maneuver can be done but with the objective to slow down the satellites. This has been theorized to slow down asteroids using the moon to capture them in earth’s orbit. My goal is to determine if asteroids can be used to provide a change in speed great enough to the point that after multiple of these maneuvers the satellite can come to a stop. By being able to slow down and stop a satellite without having to use thrusters will allow the mass allocated to fuel to be removed or used for more equipment. Different mass and sizes configuration will provide a range of asteroids that can be used and afterward each of these asteroids will be used to stop the satellite. Doing so, the minimum size asteroid that will have an influence on a satellite can be found as well as the minimum number of maneuvers needed to stop a satellite.
Scholarly Commons Citation
Prulhiere, Nicolas M., "Satellite Deceleration Using Gravity Assist from Asteroid" (2021). Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses. 638.
https://commons.erau.edu/edt/638
