A natural first approximation to low-thrust trajectories between satellite orbits of the earth and moon

AIAA Journal ◽  
1965 ◽  
Vol 3 (8) ◽  
pp. 1432-1439 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOSEPH C. KING
Keyword(s):  
Satellite Orbits ◽  
Low Thrust ◽  
The Earth ◽  
First Approximation

Rendez vous with Saturn's rings

1984 ◽  
Vol 75 ◽  
pp. 743-759 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerry T. Nock
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Electric Propulsion ◽  
Power Source ◽  
Propulsion System ◽  
Low Thrust ◽  
Ring Plane ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Total Impulse ◽  
Saturn's Rings

ABSTRACTA mission to rendezvous with the rings of Saturn is studied with regard to science rationale and instrumentation and engineering feasibility and design. Future detailedin situexploration of the rings of Saturn will require spacecraft systems with enormous propulsive capability. NASA is currently studying the critical technologies for just such a system, called Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP). Electric propulsion is the only technology which can effectively provide the required total impulse for this demanding mission. Furthermore, the power source must be nuclear because the solar energy reaching Saturn is only 1% of that at the Earth. An important aspect of this mission is the ability of the low thrust propulsion system to continuously boost the spacecraft above the ring plane as it spirals in toward Saturn, thus enabling scientific measurements of ring particles from only a few kilometers.

Overview and Science of MMX 

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiyoshi Kuramoto ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Surface Composition ◽  
Sampling Site ◽  
Martian Atmosphere ◽  
Satellite Orbits ◽  
Early Solar System ◽  
Martian Surface ◽  
Sample Return ◽  
Hydrous Minerals ◽  
The Earth

<p>MMX (Martian Moons eXploration) is the 3rd sample return mission of JAXA/ISAS following Hayabusa and Hayabusa2. The MMX spacecraft will be launched in 2024 by an H-III rocket and make a round trip to the Martian system ~5 years. In the proximity of the Martian moons for 3 years, MMX will observe them along with the Martian atmosphere and surrounding space and conduct multiple landings on Phobos to collect Phoboss-indigenous materials. Owing to the lack of definitive evidence, the origin of Phobos and Deimos is under debate between the two leading hypotheses: the capture of volatile-rich primordial asteroid(s) and the in-situ formation from a debris disk that generated by a giant impact onto early Mars. Whichever theory is correct, the Martian moons likely preserve key records on the evolution of the early solar system and the formation of Mars. Through close-up observations of both moons and sample return from Phobos, MMX will settle the controversy of their origin, reveal their evolution, and elucidate the early solar system evolution around the region near the snow line. Global circulation and escape of the Martian atmosphere will also be monitored to reveal basic processes that have shaped and altered the Martian surface environment. The MMX spacecraft consists of three modules with chemical propulsion systems. By releasing used modules at appropriate timings, the spacecraft mass is reduced to allow orbital tuning to quasi-satellite orbits around Phobos, landings on Phobos surface, and the escape from the Martian gravity to return to the Earth. MMX will arrive at the Martian system in 2025 and start close-up observations of Phobos from quasi-satellite orbits. Among the total of 7 mounted instruments for scientific observations, TENGOO (telescope camera) and LIDAR will conduct high-resolution topography mapping and OROCHI (multi-band visible camera), MIRS (infra-red spectrometer provided by CNES), MEGANE (gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer provided by NASA), and MSA (ion mass spectrum analyzer) will survey surface composition and its heterogeneity. Hydrous minerals and interior ice are important observational targets because they, if identified, strongly support the capture hypothesis. Data taken by these instruments will be also useful for the landing site selection and characterization. Before the first landing, a rover (provided by CNES/DLR) will be released near the sampling site to collect data on surface regolith properties to be referred for the mothership landing operation. The rover will carry cameras, miniRAD (thermal mapper), and RAX (laser Raman spectrometer) to collect data on the physical and mineralogical characteristics of the Phobos surface around the sampling site. In early 2027, Mars will come to its closest approach to the Earth which minimizes the communication delay between the spacecraft and the Earth station. Together with the timing relatively far from Sun-Mars conjunctions and the Martian equinoxes, this period is the most favorable for landing operations that need real-time communication with the ground station and solar illumination undisturbed by eclipses. MMX will use two sampling systems, the C-sampler using a coring mechanism equipped on the tip of a manipulator and the P-sampler (provided by NASA) using a pneumatic mechanism equipped on a landing leg. After the stay near Phobos, the MMX spacecraft will be transferred to Deimos-flyby orbits to conduct Deimos observations, and then the return module will depart the Martian system in 2028. During the stay in the Martian system, MMX will also conduct wide-area observations of the Martian atmosphere using imagers (OROCHI, MIRS, and TENGOO) to study the atmospheric dynamics and the water vapor and dust transport. Simultanenousely, MSA will survey ions not only released and sputtered from Phobos's surface but also escaped from the Martian upper atmosphere. CMDM (dust monitor) will continuously survey the dust flux around the moons to assess the processes of space weathering by micrometeoroid bombardments and the possible formation of dust rings along the moons’ orbits. The sample capsule will come back to the Earth in 2029. Complimentarily with remote sensing studies, returned samples will provide us strong cosmo-chemical constraints for the origin of Phobos as well as those for early solar system processes.   </p>

A low-thrust transfer between the Earth–Moon and Sun–Earth systems based on invariant manifolds

2013 ◽  
Vol 91 ◽  
pp. 77-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Zhang ◽  
Junfeng Li ◽  
Hexi Baoyin ◽  
Geshi Tang
Keyword(s):  
Invariant Manifolds ◽  
Low Thrust ◽  
Earth Systems ◽  
The Earth

Low-thrust transfer to the Earth-Moon triangular libration point via horseshoe orbit

2020 ◽  
Vol 177 ◽  
pp. 111-121
Author(s):  
Xingji He ◽  
Yuying Liang ◽  
Ming Xu ◽  
Yaru Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Libration Point ◽  
Low Thrust ◽  
Triangular Libration Point ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Horseshoe Orbit

scholarly journals The zero gravity curve and surface and radii for geostationary and geosynchronous satellite orbits

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
L.E. Sjöberg ◽  
E.W. Grafarend ◽  
M.S.S. Joud
Keyword(s):  
Gravitational Force ◽  
Harmonic Coefficient ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
Geostationary Satellite ◽  
Satellite Orbits ◽  
Zero Gravity ◽  
Geosynchronous Satellite ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Special Case ◽  
The Ideal

AbstractA geosynchronous satellite orbits the Earth along a constant longitude. A special case is the geostationary satellite that is located at a constant position above the equator. The ideal position of a geostationary satellite is at the level of zero gravity, i.e. at the geocentric radius where the gravitational force of the Earth equals the centrifugal force. These forces must be compensated for several perturbing forces, in particular for the lunisolar tides. Considering that the gravity field of the Earth varies not only radially but also laterally, this study focuses on the variations of zero gravity not only on the equator (for geostationary satellites) but also for various latitudes. It is found that the radius of a geostationary satellite deviates from its mean value of 42164.2 km only within ±2 m, mainly due to the spherical harmonic coefficient J

Space-based Earth remote sensing: Part 1. Satellite orbit theory

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sung Wook Paek 1 ◽  
Sangtae Kim 2
Keyword(s):  
Satellite Data ◽  
Satellite Orbit ◽  
Developing Nations ◽  
Satellite Orbits ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Earth Remote Sensing ◽  
Earth Observations ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Orbit Theory

The development of oceanography and meteorology has greatly benefited from remotely sensed satellite data of the atmosphere and ocean. For oceanographers, meteorologists, hydrologists and climatologists to obtain high-quality satellite data, orbits along which the satellites move must be designed carefully. For this reason, Sun-synchronous, repeat ground track orbits have traditionally been used for visible-wavelength and infrared Earth observations. As the needs for varied datasets are growing, however, new classes of Earth-observing missions are emerging such as interferometry and radiometry to name a few. On the other side, satellite platforms and onboard sensors are getting more compact and less expensive, allowing developing nations to launch their own satellites and under-researched parts of the Earth be studied. In light of these changes, this paper introduces new types of satellite orbits from celestial mechanics perspectives, whose applications will be detailed further in the follow-up work.

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