Optimal lunar trajectories for a combined chemical-electric propulsion spacecraft

Details Optimal lunar trajectories for a combined chemical-electric propulsion spacecraft Optimal lunar trajectories for a combined chemical-electric propulsion spacecraft

Jan 1995

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1995umo..reptr....k&link_type=abstract

Final Report Missouri Univ., Kansas City, MO. Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

Computer Science

Performance

Chemical Propulsion, Comets, Electric Propulsion, Low Thrust Propulsion, Lunar Orbits, Propulsion System Performance, Solar Electric Propulsion, Space Rendezvous, Earth-Moon System, Interplanetary Space, Moon, Payloads, Propulsion System Configurations, Spacecraft Trajectories

Scientific paper

Spacecraft which utilize electric propulsion (EP) systems are capable of delivering a greater payload fraction compared to spacecraft using conventional chemical propulsion systems. Several researchers have investigated numerous applications of low-thrust EP including a manned Mars mission, scientific missions to the outer planets, and lunar missions. In contrast, the study of optimal combined high and low-thrust spacecraft trajectories has been limited. In response to the release of NASA's 1994 Announcement of Opportunity (AO) for Discovery class interplanetary exploration missions, a preliminary investigation of a lunar comet rendezvous mission using a solar electric propulsion (SEP) spacecraft was performed. The Discovery mission (eventually named Diana) was envisioned to be a two-phase scientific exploration mission: the first phase involved exploration of the moon and second phase involved rendezvous with a comet. The initial phase began with a chemical propulsion translunar injection and chemical insertion into a lunar orbit, followed by a low-thrust SEP transfer to a circular, polar, low-lunar orbit (LLO). After scientific data was collected at the moon, the SEP spacecraft performed a spiral lunar escape maneuver to begin the interplanetary leg of the mission. After escape from the Earth-moon system, the SEP spacecraft maneuvered in interplanetary space and performed a rendezvous with a short period comet. An initial study that demonstrated the feasibility of using EP for the lunar and comet orbit transfer was performed under the grant NAG3-1581. This final report is a continuation of the initial research efforts in support of the Discovery mission proposal that was submitted to NASA Headquarters in October 1994. Section 2 discusses the lunar orbit transfer phase of the Diana mission which involves both chemical and electric propulsion stages. Section 3 discusses the chemical lunar orbit insertion (LOI) burn optimization. Finally, section 4 presents the conclusions of this research effort.

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