What produces the velocity changes seen in some Earth flybys?
Most likely: an error or inconsistency in trajectory modelling and navigation software (reference frames, spheres of…Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.
Where it stands
Four answers have been proposed. An error or inconsistency in trajectory modelling and navigation software (reference frames, spheres of… leads, with evidence 2 for, 1 against: partly supported by its tests. Three are still possible. Of the three narrower questions under it, none is answered yet.
Answers 4
History
- Antreasian & Guinn: the Moon, the Sun and relativistic effects were dismissed by the first analysts.Against: An unmodelled conventional force on the spacecraft, such as thermal recoil, drag, radiation pressure or a…
- Lämmerzahl et al. puts forward: an unmodelled conventional force on the spacecraft, such as thermal recoil, drag, radiation pressure or a…
- Anderson et al. puts forward: a real effect not described by current physics, tied to Earth's rotation or mass distribution.
- Lämmerzahl et al.: atmosphere, tides, charge, magnetic moment, albedo pressure, solar wind and spin-rotation coupling were each…Against: An unmodelled conventional force on the spacecraft, such as thermal recoil, drag, radiation pressure or a…
- Anderson et al.: six flybys fit a formula with a constant equal to twice Earth's equatorial speed over c.For: A real effect not described by current physics, tied to Earth's rotation or mass distribution.
- Turyshev & Toth puts forward: an error or inconsistency in trajectory modelling and navigation software (reference frames, spheres of…
- Turyshev & Toth: different teams with different software (JPL, ESA) found anomalies in different spacecraft.Against: An error or inconsistency in trajectory modelling and navigation software (reference frames, spheres of…
- Iorio: standard general relativity gives effects 10⁻⁵ to 10⁻² mm/s, far too small.Against: A real effect not described by current physics, tied to Earth's rotation or mass distribution.
- Rievers & Lämmerzahl: thermal recoil and Lorentz forces have been modelled in detail for flyby spacecraft.For: An unmodelled conventional force on the spacecraft, such as thermal recoil, drag, radiation pressure or a…
- Busack: an alternative formula that predicted the Rosetta nulls was taken by its author to support an error in older…For: An error or inconsistency in trajectory modelling and navigation software (reference frames, spheres of…
- Acedo: the later Rosetta flybys and Juno, processed with newer software, show no anomaly.For: An error or inconsistency in trajectory modelling and navigation software (reference frames, spheres of…
- Acedo: the formula failed for Rosetta 2007 and 2009 and for Juno 2013.Against: A real effect not described by current physics, tied to Earth's rotation or mass distribution.
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