The Use of Deep Space Port at L1 and L2 points in Sun-Earth and Earth-Moon systems with Low Thrust Departure / Return Flight Strategy
- Paper number
IAC-08.A5.3.3
- Author
Dr. Junichiro Kawaguchi, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Michihiro Matsumoto, University of Tokyo, Japan
- Coauthor
Dr. Mutsuko Morimoto, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan
- Year
2008
- Abstract
This paper presents how the collinear libration points in Sun-Earth and Earth-Moon systems are useful as space infrastructures. Future deep space transporters are sure to be propelled by nuclear electric or photon propulsive elements, which all provide the space ships with low acceleration. Those ships will be huge, several hundreds meters long or more. Needless to say, launching such gigantic vehicles from the ground is absolutely never reasonable. Besides, getting rid of the Earth gravity requires high thrust rather than exhaust velocity, while interplanetary or ultra high altitude cruise need to rely on exhaust velocity to save propellant aboard. Therefore, the passengers and freight all will be transferred somewhere on orbit far beyond the ground. The area where the transit point is located is designated here a Deep Space Port. This paper presents how the future deep space traffic system will be by contemplating the vicinity around the L1/L2 points as the quays in the Sun-Earth/Earth-Moon systems. Here is presented the EDEVAG (Electric Delta-V Earth Gravity Assist) technique, with the applications to the photon / solar sail propulsion in addition to the electric propulsion. The major goal of the paper aims at how and where those gigantic spaceships are operated, built and depart for the voyage to the deep space, and how and where those can return back to the Earth/Moon vicinity to be anchored at the quay. The paper stresses that the combination of the barge traffic between the Earth and the quay with the berthing / anchoring / setting sail / reentering concepts as to the Deep Space Port constructed around those L1/L2 points will be what the future space traffic system is sure to adopt. The paper also discusses the artificial small Halo orbits in the vicinity of those libration points. They are maintained by the low thrust propulsion means all the time to draw a concise circular loci around the equilibrium points. The propulsion system required has just only to be aligned with the quay longitudinal direction and the quay also has only to rotate at a constant angular velocity around a certain axis. Such quay configuration fits for the Deep Space Port enabling the spaceships easily to set sail and to return and to be anchored.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-08.A5.3.3.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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