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Solar flux incident on an orbiting surface after reflection from a planetAlgorithms describing the solar radiation impinging on an infinitesimal surface after reflection from a gray and diffuse planet are derived. The following conditions apply: only radiation from the sunny half of the planet is taken into account; the radiation must fall on the top of the orbiting surface, and radiation must come from that part of the planet that can be seen from the orbiting body. A simple approximate formula is presented which displays excellent accuracy for all significant situations, with an error which is always less than 5% of the maximum possible reflected flux. Attention is also given to solar albedo flux on a surface directly facing the planet, the influence of solar position on albedo flux, and to solar albedo flux as a function of the surface-planet tilt angle.
Document ID
19800052242
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Modest, M. F.
(Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N.Y., United States)
Date Acquired
August 10, 2013
Publication Date
June 1, 1980
Publication Information
Publication: AIAA Journal
Volume: 18
Subject Category
Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance
Accession Number
80A36412
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS9-15109
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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