Deviations from Keplerian Orbits for Solar Sails

TL;DR

This paper investigates how various relativistic and solar factors, including spacetime curvature, solar charge, cosmological constant, and oblateness, influence the orbital dynamics of solar sails, causing deviations from classical Keplerian motion.

Contribution

It analyzes the combined effects of relativistic and solar parameters on solar sail orbits, highlighting deviations from Kepler's laws and the impact on precession phenomena.

Findings

Solar radiation pressure enhances Lense-Thirring precession for polar orbits.

Non-Keplerian polar orbits precess around the sun, showing relativistic effects.

Multiple solar and relativistic factors cause measurable deviations from classical orbital predictions.

Abstract

It is shown that the curvature of spacetime, a possible net electric charge on the sun, a small positive cosmological constant and the oblateness of the sun, in conjunction with solar radiation pressure (SPR), affect the bound orbital motion of solar sails and lead to deviations from Kepler's third law for heliocentric and non-Keplerian orbits. With regards to the Lense-Thirring effect, the SRP increases the amount of precession per orbit for polar orbits. Non-Keplerian polar orbits exhibit an analog of the Lense-Thirring effect in which the orbital plane precesses around the sun.