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Meeting	ACGS Committee Meeting 118 - Minneapolis, MN - October 2016
Agenda Location	7 SUBCOMMITTEE B – MISSILES AND SPACE 7.2 Spacecraft Re-Entry Impact Point Targeting Using Aerodynamic Drag
Title	Spacecraft Re-Entry Impact Point Targeting Using Aerodynamic Drag
Presenter	Sanny Omar
Affiliation	University of Florida
Available Downloads*	presentation
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Abstract	The ability to re-enter the atmosphere at a desired location is important for spacecraft containing components that may survive re-entry. This paper discusses the use of solely aerodynamic drag force to perform this targeting, which is especially useful for smaller spacecraft that do not contain thrusters. It is shown that by varying the ballistic coefficient of a spacecraft over time, any desired longitude and latitude can be targeted provided that the maneuvering begins early enough and the latitude is less than the inclination of the orbit. An analytical solution based on perturbations from a numerically propagated trajectory is developed to estimate the ballistic coefficient profile necessary to reach a given target point assuming small deviations from the numerical trajectory. An iterative process whereby analytical solutions are tested and refined can be utilized to determine the ballistic coefficient necessary for re-entry point targeting. Monte Carlo simulations were conducted to validate the algorithm and the desired de-orbit points were reached within a tolerable error in all tested scenarios. The High Precision Orbit Propagator in AGI’s Systems Tool Kit software was also utilized to validate the targeting algorithm.