Leveraging Earth Flyby Using E-sail with Attitude Constraints

The use of a single gravity assist maneuver can reduce the amount of velocity change required from a conventional spacecraft thruster to carry out complex interplanetary missions. In this context, the technique known as the V-infinity leveraging maneuver exploits the effect of a small impulsive maneuver along a spacecraft’s heliocentric orbit to enhance the velocity change achievable through a subsequent gravity assist. Conversely, a leveraging maneuver can also be used to decrease the hyperbolic excess velocity that must be provided by the final stage of the launch system when the trajectory includes an Earth gravity assist after launch. Recent literature has examined the impact of using a photonic solar sail on the performance of a V-infinity leveraging maneuver, employing a simplified mathematical model. In this paper, we investigate the performance of another propellantless propulsion system—the Electric Solar Wind Sail—in optimizing a V-infinity leveraging maneuver with Earth, introducing two novel contributions compared to recent studies. The first contribution is an analysis of how the location along the planet’s elliptic orbit where the spacecraft begins its interplanetary flight affects the maneuver’s performance. The second is an investigation into how a potential geometric constraint on the Electric Solar Wind Sail’s attitude influences the effectiveness of the leveraging maneuver.