AAS 98-148

MINIMUM-FUEL ESCAPE FROM TWO-BODY EARTH-SUN SYSTEM

L. Casalino, G. Colasurdo - Politecnico di Torino, Italy; E. Fantino - Universita di Padova, Italy

Abstract

The analysis of interplanetary trajectories is a complex task due to the possibility of obtaining gravity assists from the planets; these assists can, in turn, be improved by deep-space impulses and multiple solutions exist to achieve, for instance, the escape from the solar system. If the two-body (Sun-Earth) system is considered, the number of potential trajectories is reduced and easier insight into the problem features is possible. Under this assumption, an elementary procedure, which uses the two-body problem equations and the patched-conic approximation, provides near-optimal trajectories using multiple Earth flybys. The most interesting missions are then improved by means of an indirect optimization procedure.

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