Analytical Missed Thrust Analyses for Heliocentric Trajectories

Low thrust heliocentric missions are becoming prevalent as propulsion technologies continue to advance. Using first-order analytic solutions for the osculating orbital elements, we explore low thrust heliocentric trajectories. We parameterize the thrust profile using Fourier series expansions, modulated by the inverse square of the orbital radius. This builds a framework in which to explore the impacts of regions of missed thrust on the trajectory and future corrections. We explore example orbits and compare the first-order solutions to more intensive numerical solutions of the osculating orbital elements, to demonstrate the validity and constraints of the assumptions.