Low energy trajectories that enable spacecraft landing on airless bodies using minimum propellant consumption are currently being proposed to support various mission proposals.However, this direct approach to landing poses a risk because the abort options are limited and time-sensitive. A way to deal with this limitation is to declare the approach to landing a critical event, i.e., it must happen as planned or the entire mission is compromised. However,with the appropriate tools and techniques, a number of abort options can be identified, yielding a much more robust design. In this study, multi-body dynamics techniques are exploited to design abort trajectories for low energy transfers, using Earth’s Moon and Jupiter’s moon Europa as examples. As a result, periodic structures are identified for staging purposes in case of emergency, and the propellant cost associated with entering and departing these orbits prior to landing is evaluated.
Analysis and Design of Abort Options for Low Energy LandingTrajectories
2022-01-03
Preprint
No indication
English
Abort Options for Potential Mars Missions
NTIS | 1994
|Abort Options for Potential Mars Missions
NTRS | 1994
|Abort Options for Potential Mars Missions
Online Contents | 1994
|