On the Probability of Collisions of Interplanetary Space Vehicles with Meteors

On the average once in 4 years uncontrolled geostationary satellites suffer small sudden changes of speed, which is connected with their collisions with fine space debris. Most of these events are caused by collisions with meteoric bodies. Such collisions threaten space vehicles as well, sent to planets of the solar system to study their physical nature. The present paper is devoted to determining the degree of risk of collision of a space vehicle with meteors at different possible variants of its interplanetary orbit. The study allows to select - out of several possible variants - the least hazardous trajectory of interplanetary flight of a space vehicle from the point of view of meteoric danger. © 2007 Bull. Georg. Natl. Acad. Sci.