• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.484-490
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• 2012

This paper is devoted to investigate the feasibility of using a medium power ground-based laser to produce a torque on LEO satellites of various shapes. The laser intensity delivered to a satellite is calculated using a simple model of laser propagation in which a standard atmospheric condition and linear atmospheric interaction mechanism is assumed. The laser force is formulated using a geocentric equatorial system in which the Earth is an oblate spheroid. The torque is formulated for a cylindrical satellite, spherical satellites and for satellites of complex shape. The torque algorithm is implemented for some sun synchronous low Earth orbit cubesats. Based on satellites perigee height, the results demonstrate that laser torque affecting on a cubesat has a maximum value in the order of $10^{-9}$ which is comparable with that of solar radiation. However, it has a minimum value in the order of $10^{-10}$ which is comparable with that of gravity gradient. Moreover, the results clarify the dependency of the laser torque on the orbital eccentricity. As the orbit becomes more circular it will experience less torque. So, we can conclude that the ground based laser torque has a significant contribution on the low Earth orbit cubesats. It can be adjusted to obtain the required control torque and it can be used as an active attitude control system for cubesats.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.193-199
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• 2013

This work investigates the orbital perturbations of the cubesats that lie on LEO due to Earth albedo. The motivation for this paper originated in the investigation of the orbital perturbations for closed- Earth pico-satellites due to the sunlight reflected by the Earth (the albedo). Having assumed that the Sun lies on the equator, the albedo irradiance is calculated using a numerical model in which irradiance depends on the geographical latitude, longitude and altitude of the satellite. However, in the present work the longitude dependency is disregarded. Albedo force and acceleration components are formulated using a detailed model in a geocentric equatorial system in which the Earth is an oblate spheroid. Lagrange planetary equations in its Gaussian form are used to analyze the orbital changes when $e{\neq}0$ and $i{\neq}0$. Based on the Earth's reflectivity data measured by NASA Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS project), the orbital perturbations are calculated for some cubesats. The outcome of the numerical test shows that the albedo force has a significant contribution on the orbital perturbations of the pico-satellite which can affect the satellite life time.