The effect of a constant radial thrust acceleration on a spacecraft in circular orbit in the two-body problem is revisited. The critical value at which escape occurs is rederived using the concept of a potential energy well that includes the effects of both the gravitational force and the thrust. A new, closedform expression is obtained for the amplitude of the radial orbital oscillation if escape does not occur. The use of a constant radial thrust acceleration to shift the radius of a circular orbit of specified period is investigated. A solar sail is discussed as a possible source of this thrust acceleration.
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Prussing et al. (1998) studied this question.
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