Semi analytical study on the insertion of probes into polar orbits around the moon using impulsive maneuvers and gravitational capture

• Published in: Computational and Applied Mathematics Vol. 34; no. 2; pp. 477 - 490
• Main Authors: de Melo, C. F., Makiyama, N. C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel Springer Basel 01-07-2015
• Subjects: Applications of Mathematics; Computational Mathematics and Numerical Analysis; Mathematical Applications in Computer Science; Mathematical Applications in the Physical Sciences; Mathematics; Mathematics and Statistics; Periodic orbits; Mission design; Restricted three-body problem; Gravitational capture; 70F07; 70M20; Lunar transfers; 70F05
• ISSN: 0101-8205; 1807-0302
• DOI: 10.1007/s40314-014-0153-8

In this work, transfers from Earth orbits for polar orbits around the Moon were studied. First, the dynamics of the escape and capture phenomena through the Lagrangian equilibrium points L1 and L2 were numerically investigated. Thus, considering orbits of escape and capture through L1, two transfer techniques between Earth parking orbits and polar orbits around the Moon were studied. In order to make the acquisition of the orbits which are captured by the Moon’s gravitational field through L1, bi- and tri-impulsive maneuvers were considered. The results show that these transfer models offer a reduction in the
Δ
V
Total
of the mission. In addition, they do not require long time of transfers.