Evaluation of a Drag-Free Control Concept for Missions in Low Earth Orbit

Atmospheric drag causes the greatest uncertainty in the equations of motion for spacecraft in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). If atmospheric drag effects can be continuously and autonomously counteracted through the use of a drag-free control system, drag may essentially be eliminated from the equations of motion for the spacecraft. The main perturbations on the spacecraft will then be those due to the gravitational field, which are much more easily predicted. Through dynamical analysis and numerical simulation, this paper presents some potential costs and benefits associated with the fuel used during continuous drag compensation. In light of this cost-benefit analysis, simulation results are used to validate the concept of drag-free control for LEO spacecraft missions having certain characteristics.