Questions tagged [low-energy-transfer]
Questions on trajectories that allow spacecraft to change orbits using very little fuel.
47 questions
1
vote
0
answers
88
views
How do cyclers deal with discreapncies in orbital inclinations and the fact that only Neptune and Pluto are in true orbital resonance?
Cyclers work by taking advantage of alignments in planets' orbits, but since coincidental "resonances" do have slight variations, they require regular corrections; how would you calculate ...
2
votes
1
answer
122
views
Does the Apollo "free return" crossover point correspond to the L1 LaGrange point?
The Apollo lunar missions used a free return trajectory which resembles a figure-8 when plotted in an Earth/Moon rotating frame of reference. This trajectory was chosen for safety: if the mission was ...
3
votes
0
answers
79
views
Calculation of a rendezvous from an elliptical orbit to another [duplicate]
I am familiar with computing rendezvous maneuvers using a Hohmann transfer when the two orbits are circular. However, when both orbits are highly elliptical, the fairly simple calculations with a ...
9
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Does a Lunar Cycler make practical sense?
I know that a Mars Cycler has many advantages due to the distance involved, but what about a Lunar Cycler? From what I've seen, the time window seems relatively short, and docking with a cycler ...
3
votes
2
answers
381
views
How are Interplanetary Transport Network/Weak Stability Boundary paths calculated?
While reading up a bit online, I found out about Weak Stability Boundaries and the Interplanetary transport network. How is this "path" that traverses the Solar System determined?
I am aware ...
4
votes
1
answer
239
views
How would one identify ionic thrust vs chemical thrust in an orbit transfer?
My nomenclature might be a bit off, I’m no expert but I’ve been reading to solve the question all the same. Say we detect an orbit transfer based off ephemeris records. We can get the 6 classic orbit ...
7
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How high did Philae bounce?
The Philae lander bounced off 67P/C-G due to low gravity, but how high did it actually bounce?
5
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Are there any paths in the Interplanetary Transport Network that leave the solar system?
As a (very late) follow up to this question, I wondered if there are any ITN paths that leave the solar system altogether? Articles about this seem to be concerned with low energy transfers of ...
4
votes
1
answer
292
views
To go from LEO to LLO describe a Bi-elliptic/Hohmann transfer burn sequence?
Being a newbie, I humbly submit the following question :
How to minimize the energy (in terms of delta-v burns) to transfer a mass of 1 metric ton (1000kg) from Very Low Earth Orbit (say 200km above ...
5
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Are there any studies about "ping pong" cyclers between gas giants?
Imagine arriving at Saturn, jettisoning your passenger cargo, and then utilizing the massive gravitational pull of the gas giant to slingshot back towards Jupiter.
Due to the immense mass of these ...
2
votes
0
answers
63
views
What is the substantial difference between transit orbits and manifold trajectories in the frame of circular restricted three body problem?
In my MSc thesis I faced the problem of unstable hyperbolic invariant manifold trajectories (UHIMs) emanating from planar Lyapunov orbits around two collinear Lagrange points L1 and L2 of the Sun-...
5
votes
2
answers
543
views
Would it be practical to fly a probe to Mars using gravitational assistance from Venus?
I decided to fly to Mars in KSP using a slingshot of Venus to see if I could save fuel. Since Venus is closer to Earth, you need less fuel to get there. When I tested it I used less fuel, but the ...
2
votes
0
answers
156
views
What is this figure I have obtained from this MATLAB code around Earth-Moon Lagrange point 2?
This is part of the code I used, where EM: Earth moon
...
3
votes
1
answer
189
views
Which spacecraft have entered lunar orbit through L1?
I'm examining entering lunar orbit through the Earth-Moon L1 point with low-thrust propulsion. As part of this, I'm interested in all examples of spacecraft (both actually flown and ones that didn't ...
6
votes
1
answer
685
views
Why does the Buzz Aldrin Mars Cycler not play a larger role in planning for Mars exploration?
In 1985 Buzz Aldrin AKA “Dr. Rendezvous” proposed using a pair of space station habitats in solar cycler orbits as “Up and Down Escalators” for crewed Earth-Mars transfers. https://en.wikipedia.org/...