Abstract
In support of future human missions to the Moon, the present research combines free return trajectories with lunar orbit insertion (LOI) sequences to provide both crew safety and selenographic versatility. Because future missions necessitate global lunar access, the required spacecraft plane change at the Moon may be large enough that a multi-maneuver sequence offers velocity impulse cost savings. Approximating the Earth-Moon system with the circular restricted three-body model, this paper develops a targeting and optimization procedure to transfer a spacecraft from a lunar free return trajectory to a closed lunar orbit through a multi-maneuver LOI sequence. Thus, a safe Earth-return for crew is guaranteed while not compromising the ability to achieve any lunar orbit.
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Presented as Paper 09-376 at the 2009 AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, August 9–13, 2009.
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Jesick, M., Ocampo, C. Computation and Optimization of Lunar Orbit Insertion from a Fixed Free Return. J of Astronaut Sci 58, 35–53 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03321158
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03321158