Comparative Assessment of Aerodynamic Performance for Very Low Earth Orbit Satellites

The atmospheric density within the 100-200km altitude range surpasses that of low-Earth orbit by four orders of magnitude, underscoring the imperative nature of reducing aerodynamic drag to prolong satellite operational longevity. This paper presents a systematic analysis of the appearance of several traditional VLEO satellites. It has been observed that the positive polygon with the main section of the satellite can achieve a higher volumetric aerodynamic drag ratio, with a greater number of edges resulting in a higher ratio. In addition to determining the basic shape, this paper also explores the impact of different adaptation coefficients on resistance by varying materials in different areas of the wall. The findings indicate that rougher walls in the vertical flow direction and smoother walls in the parallel flow direction result in lower resistance, which can be explained by the momentum principle. Furthermore, for inclined planes with a certain inclination angle, it is noted that resistance varies nonlinearly with adaptation coefficient. Under ideal conditions where the windward side is rough and the side is super smooth, compared to uniform adaptation coefficient, resistance can be reduced by up to 56%. This research provides valuable guidance and suggestions for satellite design as it adapts to high-resistance environments encountered during VLEO missions.