Probabilistic assessment of disposal orbit lifetime for CubeSat rideshares on resonant decaying geosynchronous transfer orbits

Abstract

Recent years have seen an increase in CubeSat missions on rideshares to geosynchronous orbit. The typical practice for these missions is to deploy the CubeSat on a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) which results in a perigee altitude that is low enough that atmospheric drag will cause the apogee altitude to decay and eventual reentry. However, for GTOs, demonstrating compliance with limits on orbital lifetime in orbital debris mitigation guidelines is not straightforward due to a solar resonance phenomenon that exists which can cause high variability of the orbital lifetime of the satellite. This paper presents a procedure for determining the likelihood that orbital lifetime of a rideshare CubeSat on a resonant GTO will have an orbital lifetime below a 25-year and 5-year limit. The procedure uses a Monte Carlo analysis in which uncertain parameters are randomly varied, including the launch time/initial RAAN and the drag coefficient. The Aerospace precision propagation tool TRACE is used with a high-fidelity force model to enable precision integration through the atmosphere at perigee. It is shown in the study that there is a systematic variation in likelihood of staying below a 25- and 5-year orbital lifetime limit and that drag enhancement devices may be needed to meet the 5-year limit for CubeSat rideshares. The study also presents findings on a solar radiation pressure induced resonance that was observed for high area-to-mass ratios which suggests that there can be a diminishing return when increasing the area of a drag enhancement device to quicken deorbit.