Exploiting dynamical perturbations for the end-of-life disposal of spacecraft in LEO

As part of the dynamical analysis carried out within the Horizon 2020 ReDSHIFT project, this paper analyzes the possible strategies to guide satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) towards an atmospheric reentry by means of one impulsive maneuver. The work has been performed within the scope of developing a comprehensive software tool, which will be publicly available at the end of the project, to assist the user in planning all the phases of a debris-compliant space mission. On the basis of the dynamical mapping of the LEO phase space obtained in a previous study, we look for the aid provided by both the atmospheric drag and other natural perturbations to drive the spacecraft towards an atmospheric reentry. One impulsive maneuver is allowed to attain the most convenient target reentry conditions. The possibility of using a solar sail is also analyzed. Two approaches are presented. The first one looks for the minimum-cost maneuver required to make a transfer between two intersecting orbits, among those computed for the dynamical mapping of the LEO region. The second one is more general and exploits the theoretical information achieved with the mapping. This is, the target conditions in semi-major axis, eccentricity and inclination that can ensure a reentry in a given time. Some examples are shown.