关于HEO空间飞行体的轨道寿命问题

On Orbit Lifetime of HEO Objects

低轨地球卫星的轨道寿命主要取决于大气的耗散作用,其轨道在不断变小(即高度降低)变圆的状态下进入地球稠密大气层中陨落.但HEO(Highly Eccentric Orbit)类型的空间飞行体的运行轨道是一个近地点高度很低,远地点高度却很高的大偏心率椭圆轨道,其轨道寿命主要由第三体(日、月)引力摄动所决定,而且还与其轨道的初始状态有密切关系,特别是慢变量Ω(轨道升交点经度)和ω(轨道近地点幅角),决定了偏心率e的长周期变化状态,从而制约了HEO类型空间飞行体的轨道寿命.本文将根据地球卫星轨道变化规律进行理论分析,阐明这一力学机制,并给出相应的数值验证.

The lifetime of the low orbit earth satellite is mainly dominated by atmospheric drag. The satellite loses altitude in the dense atmosphere and eventually falls. However, the lifetime of space objects of HEO type, which goes in a large-eccentricity ellipse with very low perigee altitude and very high apogee altitude, is determined mainly by third-body （Sun and Moon） perturbation, as well as its initial state, which, closely related to RAAN Ω and Argument of Perigee ω, determines the long periodic evolution of the eccentricity. Here examples are taken for Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit debris and the orbit lifetime are estimated for double stars TC-land TC-2, proving that two GTO debris with the same initial elements but 3 hour＇s difference in entering expected orbits will have distinct destinies, the same conclusion is also valid for TC-1 and TC-2. All the mentioned distinction could be resulted in by third-body perturbation and a difference in initial elements （Ω and ω）. This paper would end up with a detailed computation, which accords with previous analysis.