Low-thrust Transfer Trajectories Design For The European Student Moon Orbiter Mission
- Paper number
IAC-07-E2.2.07
- Author
Ms. Camilla Colombo, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Mr. Daniel Novak, United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Ms. Camilla Colombo, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Ms. Jeannette Heiligers, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Year
2007
- Abstract
The Student Space Exploration & Technology Initiative (SSETI) program, under the direction of the European Space Agency, was created in order to provide an opportunity for students across the EU to design and build operational spacecraft. The first satellite by SSETI, a technology demonstrator, was launched in 2005 into a low Earth orbit. The European Student Moon Orbiter (ESMO) is the third mission in the SSETI portfolio with an ambitious aim to launch in 2011 into a six-month long study of the Moon.
This paper addresses the problem of finding Earth-Moon transfer trajectories for the preliminary feasibility study of the ESMO mission. While two different types of propulsion systems are being considered in the ESMO design, this paper will examine the design of the low-thrust trajectory assuming a Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) system.
A set of initial guess solutions for the transfer was generated by a three-dimension extension of a bi-impulsive transfer in the Planar Circular Restricted Three Body Problem (PCRTBP).
The overall transfer is divided into three phases: a spiral-up phase from the departure GTO orbit around the Earth, a coast phase from the Earth spiral through the L1 region to the Moon, and a spiral-down phase into the desired lunar orbit. The upwinding spiral from the Earth and the downwinding spiral at the Moon are generated considering a tangential thrust with a constant magnitude (with the thrust switched off during eclipses). The three phases are then linked by two impulsive manoeuvres. A global search is performed through the possible launch dates, transfer times and the passage point through the L1 region in order to minimise the sum of the two Δv manoeuvres.
The most promising initial guesses were then re-optimised through a direct transcription method based on finite elements in time implemented in the software tool for trajectory optimisation DITAN (Direct Interplanetary Transfer Analysis).
The paper presents the original design approach and a set of baseline solutions which meet the mission objectives for the ESMO project. As the design is ongoing, the latest results will be presented with a discussion on recent developments in the design approach for this type of mission.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-07-E2.2.07.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.