The effect of the radiation pressure and Poynting-Robertson effect on the evolution of the orbits of geosynchronous satellites is studied, depending on their area to mass ratio. The qualitative changes of the orbital evolution caused by these disturbances are considered. The reflection coefficient of the satellite's surface was assumed to be 1.44. In the vicinity of the stable point with the longitude of 75 degrees the exit from the libration resonance mode was registered when the area to mass ratio value changed from 5.9 to 6.0 m(2)/kg; in the vicinity of the unstable point at 345 degrees with the area to mass ratio of 1.4 it occurred at 1.5 m(2)/kg. Re-entry to Earth occurs at values of the area to mass ratio above 32.2 m(2)/kg, and hyperbolic exit from the low-Earth orbit occurs at values of the area to mass ratio over 5267 m(2)/kg. At high values of the area to mass ratio, slopes of initially equatorial orbits can reach 49 degrees. It is shown that due to the Poynting-Robertson effect the secular decrease in the semimajor axis of orbit in libration resonance region is 3-4 orders of magnitude less than outside of it.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)433-446
Number of pages14
JournalSolar System Research
Volume45
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2011

    WoS ResearchAreas Categories

  • Astronomy & Astrophysics

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

ID: 37899416