1. Sun-synchronous solar reflector orbits designed to warm Mars
- Author
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F. J. T. Salazar, Othon C. Winter, and Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
- Subjects
Physics ,Martian ,Orbital plane ,Sun-synchronous orbit ,Solar reflectors ,Astronomy ,Terraforming ,Astronomy and Astrophysics ,Sun synchronous orbits ,Mars Exploration Program ,Frozen orbit ,J2 oblateness perturbation ,Mars climate engineering ,Terraforming scheme ,01 natural sciences ,Colonization of Mars ,Space and Planetary Science ,Planet ,Physics::Space Physics ,0103 physical sciences ,Astrophysics::Solar and Stellar Astrophysics ,Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics ,010303 astronomy & astrophysics - Abstract
Although the Martian environment is very cold (averaging about $-60^{\circ }$ C), highly oxidizing and desiccated, several studies have proposed human colonization of Mars. To carry out this ambitious goal, terraforming schemes have been designed to warm Mars and implant Earth-like life. Mars climate engineering includes the use of orbiting solar reflectors to increase the total solar insolation. In this study, Sun-synchronous solar reflectors orbits with inclination equal or less than $90^{\circ }$ with respect to the orbital plane of Mars are considered to intervene with the Mars’ climate system. With different inclinations, a family of Sun-synchronous solar reflectors orbits distributes azimuthally the energy intercepted by the reflector. The two-body problem is considered, and the Gauss’s form of the variational equations is used to find the conditions to achieve a Sun-synchronous frozen orbit with inclination equal or less than $90^{\circ }$ , taking into account the effects of solar radiation pressure for a perfectly reflecting space mirror and Mars’ $J_{2}$ oblateness perturbation.
- Published
- 2019