Effect of Gas-Surface Interactions on Very Low Earth Orbit Mission Operation

Abstract The recent surge in very low Earth orbit (VLEO) satellite operations necessitates the consideration of gas-surface interactions (GSI) to estimate the aerodynamic drag coefficient. This study utilizes the test particle Monte Carlo (TPMC) method to model the effects of GSI on orbital trajectories. The predominance of atomic oxygen (ATOX) in VLEO increases shear drag that is particularly adverse for VLEO satellite designs with large solar panels for power needs. Mitigation strategies include ATOX-resistant material coatings. This research explores drag reduction impacts on VLEO missions by using different reflective materials, which can be modeled in TPMC using GSI coefficients. Simulations indicate that specularly reflective material coatings on lateral surfaces can achieve approximately $$10\%$$ 10 % thruster fuel savings and $$40\%$$ 40 % longer mission operation windows, with room for improvement through optimization of mission phasing and sequencing.