Abstract Recent discoveries by the Cassini spacecraft have generated interest in future missions to further explore the moons of Saturn as well as other small bodies in the solar system. Incorporating multi-body dynamics into the preliminary design can aid the design process and potentially reduce the cost of maneuvers that are required to achieve certain objectives. The focus in this investigation is the development and application of additional design tools to facilitate preliminary trajectory design in a multi-body environment where the gravitational influence of both primaries is quite significant. Within the context of the circular restricted 3-body problem, then, the evolution of trajectories in the vicinity of the smaller primary (P2) that are strongly influenced by the distant larger primary (P1) is investigated. By parameterizing the orbits in terms of radius and periapse orientation relative to the P1–P2 line, the short- and long-term behaviors of the trajectories are predictable. Initial conditions that yield a trajectory with a particular set of desired characteristics are easily selected from periapsis Poincaré maps for both short- and long-term orbits. Analysis in the Sun–Saturn and Saturn–Titan systems serves as the basis for examples of mission design applications.

    Highlights ► Periapsis Poincaré maps characterize the design space near P2 in CR3BP. ► Short- and long-term trajectory behavior is predictable based on a periapse state. ► Periapsis Poincaré maps provide a methodical trajectory design tool in CR3BP. ► Maps are applied to design examples in the Sun–Saturn and Saturn–Titan systems.


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    Title :

    Trajectory evolution in the multi-body problem with applications in the Saturnian system


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Acta Astronautica ; 69 , 11-12 ; 1038-1049


    Publication date :

    2011-07-11


    Size :

    12 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English





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