93-183
The Problem Of Transfer Orbits From One Body Back To The Same Body
Antonio F. B. A. Prado* and Roger A. Broucke**
Abstract
The problem of transfer orbits from one body back to the same body (the Moon or 3 planet) is formulated as a Lamben's problem and solved by Gooding's Lambert routines. We consider elliptic as well as circular orbits for the Moon or a planet and any kind of orbit (elliptic. parabolic or hyperbolic) for the spacecraft. The solutions are plotted in terms of the true anomaly (instead of the eccentric anomaly) for several cases. We show that the use of the true anomaly simplifies the solutions in several days. We also solved the problem of transfers from this bode to the corresponding L,, and L5 points. After that. the same problcm is studicd in (erms of the ~V and the time required for the transfer Among all the possible transfer orbits. a small family with almost zero aV was found. The properties of these orbits are shoun in details.
*University of Texas at Austin and Insbtuto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (NPE-Brazil)
**Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712.