Orbit selection for a Mars geoscience/climatology orbiterThis paper is a presentation of recent work to provide orbit design and selection criteria for a close, nearly polar, nearly circular orbit of Mars. The main aspects of the work are the evaluation of atmospheric drag for altitude selection, the orbit evolution for variations in periapsis altitude, and the interactions of those factors with the science objectives of the MGCO mission. A dynamic model of the Mars atmosphere is available from parallel efforts and the latest estimates of the upper atmospheric density and its time history are incorporated into the analysis to provide a final orbit that satisfies planetary quarantine requirements.
Document ID
19840039075
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Uphoff, C. (California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena CA, United States)