AN ANALYSIS OF TRAJECTORIES AND PERFORMANCE OF A 1960 MARS PROBE,

Abstract

Studies of trajectories to other planets have been made many times in the past; however, in the majority of cases, many simplifying assumptions were made. This report is an attempt to bridge the gap between such simpler analyses and the extensive computer calculations that will have to be carried out before an actual interplanetary firing is made. Its primary purpose then, is to provide an insight and perhaps a stepping stone for the complete solution of the problem of interplanetary trajectories. Speculation exists to a complete solution by the possible use of the Atlas for interplanetary probes to other planets, a computer program is being developed which will give more accurate results to the same problems which are solved here only with much laborious computation. The method presented here, although useful for other interplanetary flights, has been applied to a possible Mars shot in the 1960 and 1961 period. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 1958
Accession Number
AD0830914

Entities

People

  • P. A. Penzo
  • R. G. Frayer

Organizations

  • General Dynamics

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Computations
  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Interplanetary Trajectories
  • Mars Probes
  • Orbits
  • Probes
  • Trajectories

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics.
  • Missile Defense Systems.
  • Theoretical Analysis.