Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
5486521 | Advances in Space Research | 2017 | 22 Pages |
Abstract
The recent findings of exoplanets have renewed interest in exploration missions of extra-solar star systems. In this context the binary star system of Alpha Centauri A/B plays a scientifically important role. The current paper aims at investigating the capture and the transfer trajectories from A to B performed by a stellar-photon sailcraft, which gives the best performance in long duration missions. The mission has been divided into four phases and minimum transfer time trajectories have been obtained by using a direct optimisation approach. Finally, a preliminary analysis in terms of Zero Velocity Curves has been carried out.
Keywords
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Space and Planetary Science
Authors
Tommaso Pino, Christian Circi,