Modern Astrodynamics

4

Low-Energy Transfers and Applications

EDWARD BELBRUNO     Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University; N.J. 08544-1000, U.S.A.

Contents

4.1. Introduction

4.2. Capture problem, models, and transfer types

4.3. Ballistic capture regions and transfers

4.4. Chaos and weak capture

4.5. Origin of the Moon

References

4.1 Introduction

The application of methods of dynamical systems theory to the field of astrodynamics has uncovered new types of low-energy trajectories that have many important applications. In particular, for the purpose of finding transfer trajectories from the Earth to lunar orbit. The mechanism used to obtain a transfer that is ‘low energy’ is called ‘ballistic capture’. This is a process where a spacecraft ...