Studying the influence of the low-thrust spacecraft launch date on energy costs in the Earth–Moon system transfer
Authors: Kuvshinova E.Yu.
Published in issue: #6(162)/2025
Category: Aviation and Rocket-Space Engineering | Chapter: Aircraft Dynamics, Ballistics, Motion Control
The paper considers a problem of spatial transfer of a spacecraft using the electric propulsion system between a circumlunar orbit and the near-Earth one in a minimum time. It presents results of assessing the influence of the launch date (the Moon relative orbital position to the Earth) on the characteristic velocity costs required for a transfer between the lunar and near-Earth orbits. The problem is solved in a single statement (flight trajectory “end-to-end” computation), taking into account the Earth and the Moon gravity (without using the spheres action method); their position is determined according to the EPM 2008 ephemeris model. The Pontryagin maximum principle is applied to determine the optimal law for controlling the electric propulsion system thrust vector.
EDN HQMBHX
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