Optimal low-thrust transfers between libration point orbits     

Yuan Ren  Pierpaolo Pergola  Elena Fantino  Bianca Thiere 《Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy》2012,112(1):1-21

Over the past three decades, ballistic and impulsive trajectories between libration point orbits (LPOs) in the Sun–Earth–Moon system have been investigated to a large extent. It is known that coupling invariant manifolds of LPOs of two different circular restricted three-body problems (i.e., the Sun–Earth and the Earth–Moon systems) can lead to significant mass savings in specific transfers, such as from a low Earth orbit to the Moon’s vicinity. Previous investigations on this issue mainly considered the use of impulsive maneuvers along the trajectory. Here we investigate the dynamical effects of replacing impulsive ΔV’s with low-thrust trajectory arcs to connect LPOs using invariant manifold dynamics. Our investigation shows that the use of low-thrust propulsion in a particular phase of the transfer and the adoption of a more realistic Sun–Earth–Moon four-body model can provide better and more propellant-efficient solution. For this purpose, methods have been developed to compute the invariant tori and their manifolds in this dynamical model.  相似文献   

Direct and indirect capture of near-Earth asteroids in the Earth–Moon system     

Minghu Tan  Colin McInnes  Matteo Ceriotti 《Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy》2017,129(1-2):57-88

Near-Earth asteroids have attracted attention for both scientific and commercial mission applications. Due to the fact that the Earth–Moon \(\hbox {L}_{1}\) and \(\hbox {L}_{2}\) points are candidates for gateway stations for lunar exploration, and an ideal location for space science, capturing asteroids and inserting them into periodic orbits around these points is of significant interest for the future. In this paper, we define a new type of lunar asteroid capture, termed direct capture. In this capture strategy, the candidate asteroid leaves its heliocentric orbit after an initial impulse, with its dynamics modeled using the Sun–Earth–Moon restricted four-body problem until its insertion, with a second impulse, onto the \(\hbox {L}_{2}\) stable manifold in the Earth–Moon circular restricted three-body problem. A Lambert arc in the Sun-asteroid two-body problem is used as an initial guess and a differential corrector used to generate the transfer trajectory from the asteroid’s initial obit to the stable manifold associated with Earth–Moon \(\hbox {L}_{2}\) point. Results show that the direct asteroid capture strategy needs a shorter flight time compared to an indirect asteroid capture, which couples capture in the Sun–Earth circular restricted three-body problem and subsequent transfer to the Earth–Moon circular restricted three-body problem. Finally, the direct and indirect asteroid capture strategies are also applied to consider capture of asteroids at the triangular libration points in the Earth–Moon system.  相似文献   

Comparison of low-energy lunar transfer trajectories to invariant manifolds     

Rodney L. Anderson  Jeffrey S. Parker 《Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy》2013,115(3):311-331

In this study, transfer trajectories from the Earth to the Moon that encounter the Moon at various flight path angles are examined, and lunar approach trajectories are compared to the invariant manifolds of selected unstable orbits in the circular restricted three-body problem. Previous work focused on lunar impact and landing trajectories encountering the Moon normal to the surface, and this research extends the problem with different flight path angles in three dimensions. The lunar landing geometry for a range of Jacobi constants is computed, and approaches to the Moon via invariant manifolds from unstable orbits are analyzed for different energy levels.  相似文献   

Cylindrical isomorphic mapping applied to invariant manifold dynamics for Earth–Moon Missions     

Marco Giancotti  Mauro Pontani  Paolo Teofilatto 《Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy》2014,120(3):249-268

Several families of periodic orbits exist in the context of the circular restricted three-body problem. This work studies orbital motion of a spacecraft among these periodic orbits in the Earth–Moon system, using the planar circular restricted three-body problem model. A new cylindrical representation of the spacecraft phase space (i.e., position and velocity) is described, and allows representing periodic orbits and the related invariant manifolds. In the proximity of the libration points, the manifolds form a four-fold surface, if the cylindrical coordinates are employed. Orbits departing from the Earth and transiting toward the Moon correspond to the trajectories located inside this four-fold surface. The isomorphic mapping under consideration is also useful for describing the topology of the invariant manifolds, which exhibit a complex geometrical stretch-and-folding behavior as the associated trajectories reach increasing distances from the libration orbit. Moreover, the cylindrical representation reveals extremely useful for detecting periodic orbits around the primaries and the libration points, as well as the possible existence of heteroclinic connections. These are asymptotic trajectories that are ideally traveled at zero-propellant cost. This circumstance implies the possibility of performing concretely a variety of complex Earth–Moon missions, by combining different types of trajectory arcs belonging to the manifolds. This work studies also the possible application of manifold dynamics to defining a suitable, convenient end-of-life strategy for spacecraft placed in any of the unstable orbits. The final disposal orbit is an externally confined trajectory, never approaching the Earth or the Moon, and can be entered by means of a single velocity impulse (of modest magnitude) along the right unstable manifold that emanates from the Lyapunov orbit at \(L_2\) .  相似文献   

A Hopf variables view on the libration points dynamics     

Martin Lara 《Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy》2017,127(3):285-300

This study analyzes a recently discovered class of exterior transfers to the Moon. These transfers terminate in retrograde ballistic capture orbits, i.e., orbits with negative Keplerian energy and angular momentum with respect to the Moon. Yet, their Jacobi constant is relatively low, for which no forbidden regions exist, and the trajectories do not appear to mimic the dynamics of the invariant manifolds of the Lagrange points. This paper shows that these orbits shadow instead lunar collision orbits. We investigate the dynamics of singular, lunar collision orbits in the Earth–Moon planar circular restricted three-body problem, and reveal their rich phase space structure in the medium-energy regime, where invariant manifolds of the Lagrange point orbits break up. We show that lunar retrograde ballistic capture trajectories lie inside the tube structure of collision orbits. We also develop a method to compute medium-energy transfers by patching together orbits inside the collision tube and those whose apogees are located in the appropriate quadrant in the Sun–Earth system. The method yields the novel family of transfers as well as those ending in direct capture orbits, under particular energetic and geometrical conditions.  相似文献   

The Restricted Hill Four-Body Problem with Applications to the Earth–Moon–Sun System     

D. J. Scheeres 《Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy》1998,70(2):75-98

Starting from the four-body problem a generalization of both the restricted three-body problem and the Hill three-body problem is derived. The model is time periodic and contains two parameters: the mass ratio ν of the restricted three-body problem and the period parameter m of the Hill Variation orbit. In the proper coordinate frames the restricted three-body problem is recovered as m → 0 and the classical Hill three-body problem is recovered as ν → 0. This model also predicts motions described by earlier researchers using specific models of the Earth–Moon–Sun system. An application of the current model to the motion of a spacecraft in the Sun perturbed Earth–Moon system is made using Hill's Variation orbit for the motion of the Earth–Moon system. The model is general enough to apply to the motion of an infinitesimal mass under the influence of any two primaries which orbit a larger mass. Using the model, numerical investigations of the structure of motions around the geometric position of the triangular Lagrange points are performed. Values of the parameter ν range in the neighborhood of the Earth–Moon value as the parameter m increases from 0 to 0.195 at which point the Hill Variation orbit becomes unstable. Two families of planar periodic orbits are studied in detail as the parameters m and ν vary. These families contain stable and unstable members in the plane and all have the out-of-plane stability. The stable and unstable manifolds of the unstable periodic orbits are computed and found to be trapped in a geometric area of phase space over long periods of time for ranges of the parameter values including the Earth–Moon–Sun system. This model is derived from the general four-body problem by rigorous application of the Hill and restricted approximations. The validity of the Hill approximation is discussed in light of the actual geometry of the Earth–Moon–Sun system. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.  相似文献   

Study of lunar gravity assist orbits in the restricted four-body problem     

Yi?QiEmail author  Shijie?Xu 《Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy》2016,125(3):333-361

In this paper, the lunar gravity assist (LGA) orbits starting from the Earth are investigated in the Sun–Earth–Moon–spacecraft restricted four-body problem (RFBP). First of all, the sphere of influence of the Earth–Moon system (SOIEM) is derived. Numerical calculation displays that inside the SOIEM, the effect of the Sun on the LGA orbits is quite small, but outside the SOIEM, the Sun perturbation can remarkably influence the trend of the LGA orbit. To analyze the effect of the Sun, the RFBP outside the SOIEM is approximately replaced by a planar circular restricted three-body problem, where, in the latter case, the Sun and the Earth–Moon barycenter act as primaries. The stable manifolds associated with the libration point orbit and their Poincaré sections on the SOIEM are applied to investigating the LGA orbit. According to our research, the patched LGA orbits on the Poincaré sections can efficiently distinguish the transit LGA orbits from the non-transit LGA orbits under the RFBP. The former orbits can pass through the region around libration point away from the SOIEM, but the latter orbits will bounce back to the SOIEM. Besides, the stable transit probability is defined and analyzed. According to the variant requirement of the space mission, the results obtained can help us select the LGA orbit and the launch window.  相似文献   

Long-term capture orbits for low-energy space missions     

Stefano Carletta  Mauro Pontani  Paolo Teofilatto 《Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy》2018,130(7):46

This research aims at ascertaining the existence and characteristics of natural long-term capture orbits around a celestial body of potential interest. The problem is investigated in the dynamical framework of the three-dimensional circular restricted three-body problem. Previous numerical work on two-dimensional trajectories provided numerical evidence of Conley’s theorem, proving that long-term capture orbits are topologically located near trajectories asymptotic to periodic libration point orbits. This work intends to extend the previous investigations to three-dimensional paths. In this dynamical context, several special trajectories exist, such as quasiperiodic orbits. These can be found as special solutions to the linear expansion of the dynamics equations and have already been proven to exist even using the nonlinear equations of motion. The nature of long-term capture orbits is thus investigated in relation to the dynamical conditions that correspond to asymptotic trajectories converging into quasiperiodic orbits. The analysis results in the definition of two parameters characterizing capture condition and the design of a capture strategy, guiding a spacecraft into long-term capture orbits around one of the primaries. Both the results are validated through numerical simulations of the three-dimensional nonlinear dynamics, including fourth-body perturbation, with special focus on the Jupiter–Ganymede system and the Earth–Moon system.  相似文献   

Zonal harmonics of azimuthally averaged potential of rotating inhomogeneous ellipsoids     

Kondratyev  B. P.  Kornoukhov  V. S. 《Astrophysics and Space Science》2021,366(6):1-16

The distant retrograde orbits (DROs) can serve as the parking orbits for a long-term cis-lunar space station. This paper gives a comprehensive study on the transfer problem from DROs to Earth orbits, including low Earth orbits (LEOs), medium Earth orbits (MEOs), and geosynchronous orbits (GSOs), in the bicircular restricted four-body problem (BR4BP) via optimizations within a large solution space. The planar transfer problem is firstly solved by grid search and optimization techniques, and two types of transfer orbits, direct ones and low-energy ones, are both constructed. Then, the nonplanar transfer problem to Earth orbits with inclinations between 0 and 90 degrees are solved via sequential optimizations based on the planar transfers. The transfer characteristics in the cases of different destination orbit inclinations are discussed for both the direct and the low-energy transfer orbits. The important role of the lunar gravity in the low-energy transfers is also discussed, which can overcome the increase of transfer cost caused by the high inclination of Earth orbits. The distinct features of different transfer scenarios, including multiple revolutions around the Earth and Moon, the exterior phase, and the lunar flyby, are discovered. The energy of transfer orbits is exploited to discuss the effects of close lunar flybys. The results will be helpful for the transfer design in future manned or unmanned return missions, and can also provide valuable information for selecting proper parking DROs for cis-lunar space stations.

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On the construction of low-energy cislunar and translunar transfers based on the libration points     

Ming Xu  Yan Wei  Shijie Xu 《Astrophysics and Space Science》2013,348(1):65-88

There exist cislunar and translunar libration points near the Moon, which are referred to as the LL ₁ and LL ₂ points, respectively. They can generate the different types of low-energy trajectories transferring from Earth to Moon. The time-dependent analytic model including the gravitational forces from the Sun, Earth, and Moon is employed to investigate the energy-minimal and practical transfer trajectories. However, different from the circular restricted three-body problem, the equivalent gravitational equilibria are defined according to the geometry of the instantaneous Hill boundary due to the gravitational perturbation from the Sun. The relationship between the altitudes of periapsis and eccentricities is achieved from the Poincaré mapping for all the captured lunar trajectories, which presents the statistical feature of the fuel cost and captured orbital elements rather than generating a specified Moon-captured segment. The minimum energy required by the captured trajectory on a lunar circular orbit is deduced in the spatial bi-circular model. The idea is presented that the asymptotical behaviors of invariant manifolds approaching to/traveling from the libration points or halo orbits are destroyed by the solar perturbation. In fact, the energy-minimal cislunar transfer trajectory is acquired by transiting the LL ₁ point, while the energy-minimal translunar transfer trajectory is obtained by transiting the LL ₂ point. Finally, the transfer opportunities for the practical trajectories that have escaped from the Earth and have been captured by the Moon are yielded by the transiting halo orbits near the LL ₁ and LL ₂ points, which can be used to generate the whole of the trajectories.  相似文献   

Numerical models for the study of motion of lunar satellites     

Maria Gousidou-Koutita 《Earth, Moon, and Planets》1985,32(1):21-45

The present study deals with numerical modeling of the elliptic restricted three-body problem as well as of the perturbed elliptic restricted three-body (Earth-Moon-Satellite) problem by a fourth body (Sun). Two numerical algorithms are established and investigated. The first is based on the method of the series solution of the differential equations and the second is based on a 5th-order Runge-Kutta method. The applications concern the solution of the equations and integrals of motion of the circular and elliptical restricted three-body problem as well as the search for periodic orbits of the natural satellites of the Moon in the Earth-Moon system in both cases in which the Moon describes circular or elliptical orbit around the Earth before the perturbations induced by the Sun. After the introduction of the perturbations in the Earth-Moon-Satellite system the motions of the Moon and the Satellite are studied with the same initial conditions which give periodic orbits for the unperturbed elliptic problem.  相似文献   

Extension of fast periodic transfer orbits from the Earth–Moon RTBP to the Sun–Earth–Moon Quasi-Bicircular Problem     

Alejandro M. Leiva  Carlos Bruno Briozzo 《Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy》2008,101(3):225-245

Starting from 80 families of low-energy fast periodic transfer orbits in the Earth–Moon planar circular Restricted Three Body Problem (RTBP), we obtain by analytical continuation 11 periodic orbits and 25 periodic arcs with similar properties in the Sun–Earth–Moon Quasi-Bicircular Problem (QBCP). A novel and very simple procedure is introduced giving the solar phases at which to attempt continuation. Detailed numerical results for each periodic orbit and arc found are given, including their stability parameters and minimal distances to the Earth and Moon. The periods of these orbits are between 2.5 and 5 synodic months, their energies are among the lowest possible to achieve an Earth–Moon transfer, and they show a diversity of circumlunar trajectories, making them good candidates for missions requiring repeated passages around the Earth and the Moon with close approaches to the last.  相似文献   

Three-body problem, its Lagrangian points and how to exploit them using an alternative transfer to L4 and L5     

F. J. T. Salazar  C. F. de Melo  E. E. N. Macau  O. C. Winter 《Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy》2012,114(1-2):201-213

An alternative transfer strategy to send spacecraft to stable orbits around the Lagrangian equilibrium points L4 and L5 based in trajectories derived from the periodic orbits around L1 is presented in this work. The trajectories derived, called Trajectories G, are described and studied in terms of the initial generation requirements and their energy variations relative to the Earth through the passage by the lunar sphere of influence. Missions for insertion of spacecraft in elliptic orbits around L4 and L5 are analysed considering the restricted three-body problem Earth–Moon-particle and the results are discussed starting from the thrust, time of flight and energy variation relative to the Earth.  相似文献   

Lunar capture in the planar restricted three-body problem     

Yi Qi  Shijie Xu 《Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy》2014,120(4):401-422

The capture dynamics is an important field in Astronomy and Astronautics. In this paper, the near-optimal lunar capture in the Earth–Moon transfer is investigated under the frame of the planar circular restricted three-body problem. We try to work out how to achieve the permanent lunar capture with the minimum maneuver consumption. This problem is decomposed into two parts: the pre-maneuver part and the post-maneuver part. In the pre-maneuver part, considering the criteria of the gravitational capture, we obtain the minimum pre-maneuver velocity via the numerical backward integration. In the post-maneuver part, using the Poincaré section and the KAM theory, we find the maximum post-maneuver velocity to achieve the permanent capture. Synthesized the results of the two parts, a new method is presented to find the near-optimal maneuver position and the minimum maneuver consumption. The method presented is simple and visible, and can provide abundant capture orbits for the design of low energy Earth–Moon transfers.  相似文献   

Fast Earth–Moon transfers with ballistic capture     

Priscilla Sousa-Silva  Maisa O. Terra  Matteo Ceriotti 《Astrophysics and Space Science》2018,363(10):210

This contribution deals with fast Earth–Moon transfers with ballistic capture in the patched three-body model. We compute ensembles of preliminary solutions using a model that takes into account the relative inclination of the orbital planes of the primaries. The ballistic capture orbits around the Moon are obtained relying on the hyperbolic invariant structures associated to the collinear Lagrangian points of the Earth–Moon system, and the Sun–Earth system portion of the transfers are quasi-periodic orbits obtained by a genetic algorithm. The trajectories are designed to be good initial guesses to search optimal cost-efficient short-time Earth–Moon transfers with ballistic capture in more realistic models.  相似文献   

Lissajous trajectories for lunar global positioning and communication systems     

Daniele Romagnoli  Christian Circi 《Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy》2010,107(4):409-425

This work proposes a Lunar Global Positioning System (LGPS) and a Lunar Global Communication System (LGCS) using two constellations of satellites on Lissajous trajectories around the collinear L ₁ and L ₂ libration points in the Earth–Moon system. This solution is compared against a Walker constellation around the Moon similar to the one used for the Global Positioning System (GPS) on the Earth to evaluate the main differences between the two cases and the advantages of adopting the Lissajous constellations. The problem is first studied using the Circular Restricted Three Body Problem to find out its main features. The study is then repeated with higher fidelity using a four-body model and higher-order reference trajectories to simulate the Earth-Moon-spacecraft dynamics more accurately. The LGPS performance is evaluated for both on-ground and in-flight users, and a visibility study for the LGCS is used to check that communication between opposite sides of the Moon is possible. The total ΔV required for the transfer trajectories from the Earth to the constellations and the trajectory control is calculated. Finally, the estimated propellant consumption and the total number of satellites for the Walker constellation and the Lissajous constellations is used as a performance index to compare the two proposed solutions.  相似文献   

The circular restricted four-body problem     

M. Michalodimitrakis 《Astrophysics and Space Science》1981,75(2):289-305

By generalizing the restricted three-body problem, we introduce the restricted four-body problem. We present a numerical study of this problem which includes a study of equilibrium points, regions of possible motion and periodic orbits. Our main motivation for introducing this problem is that it can be used as an intermediate step for a systematic exploration of the genral four-body problem. In an analogous way, one may introduce the restrictedN-body problem.  相似文献   

Hill stability of the satellite in the elliptic restricted four-body problem     

Chao Liu  Shengping Gong 《Astrophysics and Space Science》2018,363(8):162

We consider an elliptic restricted four-body system including three primaries and a massless particle. The orbits of the primaries are elliptic, and the massless particle moves under the mutual gravitational attraction. From the dynamic equations, a quasi-integral is obtained, which is similar to the Jacobi integral in the circular restricted three-body problem (CRTBP). The energy constant \(C\) determines the topology of zero velocity surfaces, which bifurcate at the equilibrium point. We define the concept of Hill stability in this problem, and a criterion for stability is deduced. If the actual energy constant \(C_{\mathrm{ac}}\ ( {>} 0 ) \) is bigger than or equal to the critical energy constant \(C_{\mathrm{cr}}\), the particle will be Hill stable. The critical energy constant is determined by the mass and orbits of the primaries. The criterion provides a way to capture an asteroid into the Earth–Moon system.  相似文献   

Periodic orbits and bifurcations in the Sitnikov four-body problem     

P. S. Soulis  K. E. Papadakis  T. Bountis 《Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy》2008,100(4):251-266

We study the existence, linear stability and bifurcations of what we call the Sitnikov family of straight line periodic orbits in the case of the restricted four-body problem, where the three equal mass primary bodies are rotating on a circle and the fourth (small body) is moving in the direction vertical to the center mass of the other three. In contrast to the restricted three-body Sitnikov problem, where the Sitnikov family has infinitely many stability intervals (hence infinitely many Sitnikov critical orbits), as the “family parameter” ż₀ varies within a finite interval (while z ₀ tends to infinity), in the four-body problem this family has only one stability interval and only twelve 3-dimensional (3D) families of symmetric periodic orbits exist which bifurcate from twelve corresponding critical Sitnikov periodic orbits. We also calculate the evolution of the characteristic curves of these 3D branch-families and determine their stability. More importantly, we study the phase space dynamics in the vicinity of these orbits in two ways: First, we use the SALI index to investigate the extent of bounded motion of the small particle off the z-axis along its interval of stable Sitnikov orbits, and secondly, through suitably chosen Poincaré maps, we chart the motion near one of the 3D families of plane-symmetric periodic orbits. Our study reveals in both cases a fascinating structure of ordered motion surrounded by “sticky” and chaotic orbits as well as orbits which rapidly escape to infinity.  相似文献   

Lunar capture trajectories and homoclinic connections through isomorphic mapping     

Marco Giancotti  Mauro Pontani  Paolo Teofilatto 《Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy》2012,114(1-2):55-76

Analysis and design of low-energy transfers to the Moon has been a subject of great interest for many decades. This paper is concerned with a topological study of such transfers, with emphasis to trajectories that allow performing lunar capture and those that exhibit homoclinic connections, in the context of the circular restricted three-body problem. A fundamental theorem stated by Conley locates capture trajectories in the phase space and can be condensed in a sentence: “if a crossing asymptotic orbit exists then near any such there is a capture orbit”. In this work this fundamental theoretical assertion is used together with an original cylindrical isomorphic mapping of the phase space associated with the third body dynamics. For a given energy level, the stable and unstable invariant manifolds of the periodic Lyapunov orbit around the collinear interior Lagrange point are computed and represented in cylindrical coordinates as tubes that emanate from the transformed periodic orbit. These tubes exhibit complex geometrical features. Their intersections correspond to homoclinic orbits and determine the topological separation of long-term lunar capture orbits from short-duration capture trajectories. The isomorphic mapping is proven to allow a deep insight on the chaotic motion that characterizes the dynamics of the circular restricted three-body, and suggests an interesting interpretation, and together corroboration, of Conley’s assertion on the topological location of lunar capture orbits. Moreover, an alternative three-dimensional representation of the phase space is profitably employed to identify convenient lunar periodic orbits that can be entered with modest propellant consumption, starting from the Lyapunov orbit.  相似文献