Interplanetary Transfers Between Halo Orbits: Connectivity Between Escape and Capture Trajectories

Abstract

Spacecraft escape and capture trajectories from or to Halo orbits about the L1 or L2 points using impulsive maneuvers at periapsis of the manifolds for interplanetary transfers are analyzed in the restricted Hill three-body problem. This application is motivated by future proposals to place deep-space ports at the Earth andMars L1 or L2 points. First, the feasibility of interplanetary trajectories between Earth Halo orbits and Mars Halo orbits is investigated. In this study, unstable and stable manifolds associated with the Halo orbits are used to approach the vicinity of the planet’s surface, and use impulsive maneuvers at periapsis for escape and capture trajectories to and from Halo orbits. Interplanetary trajectories between Earth and Mars Halo orbits with reasonable V and flight time are found. Next, applying these dynamics to an Earth–Mars transportation system using spaceports on Earth and Mars Halo orbits, the system is evaluated in terms of the spacecraft mass of round-trip transfer. As a result, transfer between low Earth orbits and low Mars orbits via the planets’ Halo orbits can reduce spacecraft wet mass compared with a direct round-trip transfer, by leaving propellant for the return.