A new solar radiation pressure model for some orbit types in the cislunar space

TL;DR

This paper introduces the Empirical NJU Cislunar Model (ENCM), a new solar radiation pressure model tailored for cislunar satellites, improving orbit determination accuracy over existing models.

Contribution

The paper develops a novel SRP model specifically for cislunar space, based on simulations, and verifies its effectiveness in orbit determination.

Findings

ENCM outperforms traditional models in accuracy

Scenario-specific sub-models enhance mission profile adaptability

Significant improvement in orbit determination precision

Abstract

For satellites in the cislunar space, solar radiation pressure (SRP) is the third largest perturbation, which is only less significant than the lunisolar gravity perturbations. It is the primary factor limiting the accuracy of orbit determination for such satellites. Up to now, numerous SRP models have been proposed for artificial satellites close to the Earth, but these models have their shortcomings when applied to satellites in the cislunar space. In this study, we concentrate on various scenarios of cislunar satellites in periodic or quasi-periodic orbits. We first employ the box-wing model to simulate the SRP effects and then propose an appropriate general SRP model based on these simulations, termed Empirical NJU Cislunar Model (ENCM). Additionally, several scenario-specific sub-models suited to different mission profiles are developed. Furthermore, the proposed model is verified in the orbit determination process. Comparisons with the conventional cannonball and ECOM models demonstrate that the ENCM model yields a significant improvement in orbit determination accuracy, showing promising potential for future cislunar missions.