Interior transit orbits in the planar bicircular restricted four-body problem: classification and application

TL;DR

This paper classifies interior transit orbits in the planar bicircular restricted four-body problem and applies this classification to design low-energy lunar transfer trajectories, verified through numerical simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel classification method for interior transit orbits using Lagrangian coherent structures and applies it to optimize low-energy lunar transfers.

Findings

Clear classification boundaries for transit orbits established.

Transfer strategies based on classifications are effective.

Link between orbit families and low-energy transfers demonstrated.

Abstract

Low-energy transfers are advantageous for lunar exploration missions due to low fuel consumption and extended launch periods. This paper is devoted to the classification of interior transit orbits and their application on low-energy transfer in the Sun-Earth/Moon planar bicircular restricted four-body problem (PBCR4BP). First, the Lagrangian coherent structures (LCSs) are introduced to generate the interior transit orbits. The number of periapses about the Moon is selected as the classification parameter and mapped into the LCSs, achieving clear classification boundaries. Then, the evolution laws of the classifications with respect to energy and solar gravity perturbation are discussed and summarized. Construction strategies for low-energy transfer are proposed based on the classifications and their evolution laws. Numerical simulation of the transfer trajectories verifies the effectiveness of the proposed strategies. The dynamical behaviors and transfer characteristics of transit orbits and their families are revealed, and a direct link between transit orbit families and low-energy transfers is finally established.