A Solar Sail-Propelled SmallSat Mission to Phobos: Gravitational Field Uncertainties, Trajectory Design, and Situational Awareness

Abstract

Here we present original results on a feasibility study for an interplanetary mission to study the Martian moon Phobos with a small spacecraft propelled by a solar sail. We report on the effects of uncertainties in our knowledge of the internal structure, shape, and gravitational field of Phobos, and on the methodology adopted to produce highly accurate models of the gravitational field of this minor object. Also discussed are high-fidelity dynamical models of the trajectory of this multiyear mission and an analysis of the dependence of our results on realistic descriptions of the spacecraft reflectivity as a function of the attitude of the vehicle with respect to the Sun. Finally, we present a powerful approach to space awareness based on representing the results of all our calculations, simulations, and maneuvers, as well as the most accurate shape model available by means of a 3D computer graphics software tool. This project was carried out exclusively by means of free open-source software (FOSS) and all data will be made publicly available in cloud science data repositories. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.