Departure / Swingby Window Expansion for Gravity Capture around the Moon via the Combination of the Solar Tidal force with the Low Thrust Propulsion

Paper number

IAC-08.C1.3.3

Author

Dr. Junichiro Kawaguchi, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan

Coauthor

Dr. Yasuhiro Kawakatsu, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan

Coauthor

Dr. Mutsuko Morimoto, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan

Coauthor

Mr. Masataka Arakawa, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan

Year

2008

Abstract

Recent Space Exploration demands have sought for the low delta-V transfer schemes to the Moon. They sometimes assume an apparent gravity capture around the Moon, using the solar tidal force effect accumulated while flying in the far boundary region of the Earth gravity field. This technique was actually demonstrated first by Japanese Hiten mission in 1991, in which the spacecraft was guided and captured around the Moon, through the flight in the boundary region of the Earth gravity sphere. When the Hiten reached the Moon’s sphere of influence, the apparent orbital energy with respect to the Moon was below zero. It means the trajectory showed an elliptic property apparently, while the spacecraft approached to the Moon. The technique is very efficient and does save so much delta-V utilizing perturbation effect. Therefore, the technique is sometimes assumed adopted for future applications.
However, when/where the capture occurs strongly depends on where the spacecraft departs from and also approaches to the Moon. In other words, the Moon age of the departure/arrival date is almost uniquely and instantaneously determined, since the flight must receive the prescribed solar tidal effect very precisely. Therefore, such spontaneous capture is hardly applicable to the flexible and practical transportation systems to the Moon.
The paper presents how the launch (departure) or swingby (arrival) conditions are relaxed taking the advantage of the artificial acceleration, electric propulsion means. The results show slight electric propulsion acceleration significantly expands the geometry to the Moon and the constraints on the departure/arrival dates are found reduced very much, so that the strategy can be applied for the flights to the Moon with less fuel impact.

Abstract document

IAC-08.C1.3.3.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-08.C1.3.3.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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