The International Sun-Earth Explorer-3 (ISEE-3) was moved from its mission halo orbit upstream of the earth's magnetosphere on June 10, 1982. Multiple lunar swingby maneuvers were then used to shape the trajectory for extensive exploration of the distant geomagnetic tail and finally to place the spacecraft on a course that will intercept the comet Giacobini-Zinner on September 11, 1985. With this new mission objective, the spacecraft was renamed the International Cometary Explorer (ICE). A double-lunar-swingby control technique involving five passes by the moon was eventually implemented to accomplish this, but in the process of finding this solution several feasible, though less optimal, alternative trajectory sequences implementing the same procedure were discovered. This paper provides a descriptive comparison of these very different orbital profiles and serves to illustrate the utility and great flexibility of this orbital control procedure. Targeting methodology for finding constrained solutions in this space is also presented.


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    Title :

    Alternative gravity-assist sequences for the ISEE-3 escape trajectory


    Contributors:
    Muhonen, D. (author) / Davis, S. (author) / Dunham, D. (author)

    Publication date :

    1984-08-01


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English


    Keywords :