Injection Mars probe using lunar gravity assist
- Paper number
IAC-08.A3.I.10
- Author
Dr. He Wei, China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, China
- Coauthor
Prof. Ru Jiaxin, China
- Coauthor
Mr. Chen Fengyu, China
- Year
2008
- Abstract
Gravity assist technique is often used to save transfer energy of the planet missions, but here it is used to increase the injection opportunity of the Mars probe. The injection opportunity of Mars probe appears in about every 26 months, and the transfer trajectory parameters are restricted by the definite injection window. In some years, the trajectory parameters can’t be selected arbitrarily, such as inclination of orbit and the argument of perigee. At the same time, these parameters are limited by the launch vehicle: the inclination of transfer trajectory is involved in the latitude of the launch site, the available firing direction and the measurement condition; the argument of perigee is restricted by the last stage’s coasting time. As a result, the Mars probe injection missions can’t be conducted in every 26 months launch windows by the LM-3A series launch vehicle. A new scenario is presented in this paper for the LM-3A series launch vehicle to adoptive to the Martian missions. The probe is injected to the lunar vicinity with the requirements of launch vehicle being satisfied, then lunar gravity assist wing-by is used to change the velocity of the probe, and the probe is ‘attracted into’ the Earth-Mars transfer trajectory. The n-body transfer problem is analyzed by the analytic method firstly, and the approximate values of the injection trajectory parameter are acquired by patch-conic method. Then a direct search method is used to concentrate the approximate values to the precise one. Compared with the traditional Mars probe transfer trajectory, the new scenario given in this paper requires almost the same injection velocity, and more appropriate injection trajectory inclination and the argument of perigee are gained. The new way enables the LM-3A series launch vehicle to conduct Mars mission in every 26 months launch windows. An example is given to prove the feasibility of the new method, and the simulation results show that the adaptability of the LM-3A’s series launch vehicle is improved by the lunar swing-by Earth-Mars transfer trajectory scenario, and it is also offer a new way to conduct the Mars and other planet missions.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-08.A3.I.10.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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