Abstract
Application of low thrust propulsion to interconnect ballistic trajectories on invariant manifolds associated with multiple circular restricted three body systems has been investigated. Sun-planet three body models have been coupled to compute the two ballistic trajectories, where electric propulsion is used to interconnect these trajectories as no direct intersection in the Poincarè sections exists. The ability of a low thrust to provide the energy change required to transit the spacecraft between two systems has been assessed for some Earth to Mars transfers. The approach followed consists in a planetary escape on the unstable manifold starting from a periodic orbit around one of the two collinear libration points near the secondary body. Following the planetary escape and the subsequent coasting phase, the electric thruster is activated and executes an ad-hoc thrusting phase. The complete transfer design, composed of the three discussed phases, and possible applications to Earth–Mars missions is developed where the results are outlined in this paper.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bernelli-Zazzera, F., Topputo, F., Massari, M.: Assessment of mission design including utilization of libration points and weak stability boundaries. Ariadna Study id: 03/4103 (2004)
Betts J.T.: Survey of numerical methods for trajectory optimization. J. Guid. Control Dyn. 21(2), 193–207 (1998)
Bryson, A.E., Jr.: Dynamic optimization. Addison-Wesley Longman Inc (1999)
Dellnitz M., Junge O., Post M., Thiere B.: On target for Venus—set oriented computation of energy efficient low thrust trajectories. Celest. Mech. Dyn. Astron. 95(1–4), 357–370 (2006)
Di Lizia P., Armellin R., Lavagna M.: Application of high order expansions of two-point boundary value problems to astrodynamics. Celest. Mech. Dyn. Astron. 102(4), 355–375 (2008)
García F., Gómez G.: A note on weak stability boundaries. Celest. Mech. Dyn. Astron. 97(2), 87–100 (2007)
Gomez G., Jorba A., Masdemont J., Simò C.: Study of the transfer from the Earth to a halo orbit around the equilibrium point L 1. Celest. Mech. Dyn. Astron. 56(4), 541–562 (1993)
Pergola, P., Geurts, K., Casaregola, C., Andrenucci, M.: Electric propulsion in a three body model for interplanetary transfers. In: Proceedings of 5th Space Propulsion Conference, May 2008, Heraklion, Crete, Greece, (42_217) (2008)
Perozzi E., Di Salvo A.: Novel spaceways for reaching the Moon: an assessment for exploration. Celest. Mech. Dyn. Astron. 102(1–3), 207–218 (2008)
Richardson D.L.: Analytic construction of periodic orbits about the collinear points. Celest. Mech. 22(3), 241–253 (1980)
Ross, S.D.: Cylindrical manifolds and tube dynamics in the restricted three body problem. Ph.D Dissertation, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California (2004)
Ross S.D., Koon W.S., Lo M.W., Marsden J.E.: Constructing a low energy transfer between Jovian Moons. Contemp. Math. Am. Math. Soc. 292, 129–145 (2002)
Szebehely V.: Theory of orbits, the restricted problem of three bodies. Academic Press inc, New York (1967)
Topputo, F.: Low-thrust non-Keplerian orbits: analysis, design and control. Ph.D. Dissertation, Politecnico di Milano, Italy (2007)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pergola, P., Geurts, K., Casaregola, C. et al. Earth–Mars halo to halo low thrust manifold transfers. Celest Mech Dyn Astr 105, 19–32 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10569-009-9205-6
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10569-009-9205-6