Solar Radiation Pressure Resonances in Low Earth Orbits

TL;DR

This paper investigates how solar radiation pressure-induced resonances can significantly affect the orbital eccentricity of objects in Low Earth Orbit, impacting satellite lifetime and end-of-life deorbiting strategies.

Contribution

It provides an analytical method to estimate maximum eccentricity due to solar radiation pressure resonances and compares simplified and comprehensive dynamical models.

Findings

Resonances can cause significant eccentricity growth in LEO satellites.

Some resonances' effects were previously underestimated.

Implications for passive satellite deorbiting strategies.

Abstract

The aim of this work is to highlight the crucial role that orbital resonances associated with solar radiation pressure can have in Low Earth Orbit. We review the corresponding literature, and provide an analytical tool to estimate the maximum eccentricity which can be achieved for well-defined initial conditions. We then compare the results obtained with the simplified model with the results obtained with a more comprehensive dynamical model. The analysis has important implications both from a theoretical point of view, because it shows that the role of some resonances was underestimated in the past, but also from a practical point of view in the perspective of passive deorbiting solutions for satellites at the end-of-life.