Year: 1969
Type: article
Abstract: A preliminary study is made of trajectories and propulsion system design param eters for solar-electric-propulsion spacecraft for several interplanetary missions.Using the Atlas-Centaur as a common launch vehicle, payload capability comparisons are also made for each mission between the solar-electric propulsion system and an alternative high-performance chemical propulsion upper stage.Payload capability of the solar-electric system is a t least 300 kilograms for flyby missions to Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, with trip times competitive with o r shorter than those of ballistic systems.Loose elliptic capture missions to these four planets, a s well as Mars and Mercury, can be accomplished with at least 200 kilograms of payload.
Author: C. L. Zola
Language: English
Subfield: Aerospace Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W313985664