Orbital design and technological feasibility of Halley mission

Abstract

Missions to Halley's comet in 1985–1986 are discussed. They include pre-perihelion encounter, post-perihelion encounter, the utilization of Venus swing-by, one round mission in which the spacecraft goes the round of the Sun before the encounter and missions to the point beneath the perihelion of Halley's orbit. Technological feasibility of the small spacecraft is also discussed on the basis of the use of the improved version of M-3S launch vehicle.