Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
5472166 Acta Astronautica 2017 32 Pages PDF
Abstract
Ballisticly connecting halo orbits to science orbits in the circular-restricted three-body problem is investigated. Two classes of terminal science orbits are considered: low-altitude, tight orbits that are deep in the gravity well of the secondary body, and high-altitude, loose orbits that are strongly perturbed by the gravity of the primary body. General analytic expressions are developed to provide a minimum bound on impulse cost in both the circular restricted and the Hill's approximations. The equations are applied to a broad range of planetary moons, providing a mission design reference. Systematic grid search methods are developed to numerically find feasible transfers from halo orbits at Europa, confirming the analytical lower bound formulas. The two-impulse capture options in the case of Europa reveal a diverse set of potential solutions. Tight captures result in maneuver costs of 425-550 m/s while loose captures are found with costs as low as 30 m/s. The terminal orbits are verified to avoid escape or impact for at least 45 days.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Engineering Aerospace Engineering
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