MCROGRAVITY, COLLINEARITY AND THE TENDENCY TO DISINTEGRATE

摘要

Very small satellites spend all their life inside their Roche limit, or in other words, are subject to separation forces within their bodies. To investigate this phenomenon in detail, a model satellite has been chosen, consisting of two parts arranged radially. The microgravity force between the two parts is then determined in the orbit periapsis where it assumes a maximum. This force is found to be tensile, and if of sufficient magnitude, capable of overcoming the adhesion between the two parts. They will separate and assume new individual orbits, linked to the original orbit by invoking the collinearity principle. It is then shown that on the new orbits the satellite parts have less orbital energy than the intact satellite has on the original orbit, as is required by the collinearity principle. Experimental evidence is provided in support of the theoretical treatment.