Changing inclination of earth satellites using the gravity of the moon

Abstract

We analyze the problem of the orbital control of an Earth's satellite using the gravity of the Moon. The main objective is to study a technique to decrease the fuel consumption of a plane change maneuver to be performed in a satellite that is in orbit around the Earth. The main idea of this approach is to send the satellite to the Moon using a single-impulsive maneuver, use the gravity field of the Moon to make the desired plane change of the trajectory, and then return the satellite to its nominal semimajor axis and eccentricity using a bi-impulsive Hohmann-type maneuver. The satellite is assumed to start in a Keplerian orbit in the plane of the lunar orbit around the Earth and the goal is to put it in a similar orbit that differs from the initial orbit only by the inclination. A description of the close-approach maneuver is made in the three-dimensional space. Analytical equations based on the patched conics approach are used to calculate the variation in velocity, angular momentum, energy, and inclination of the satellite. Then, several simulations are made to evaluate the savings involved. The time required by those transfers is also calculated and shown.

Out-of-plane orbital maneuvers using swing-bys with the Moon

“…For both simulations, the initial eccentricity was e 0 = 0, but in the first simulation (simulation 1) the initial semi-major axis was a 0 = 0.017 and the periapsis distance r ap = 0.0046 [2]. In the second simulation (simulation 2) the initial value of the semi-major axis was a 0 = 0.069 and for the periapsis distance it was used again r ap = 0.0046.…”

“…This type of maneuver are usually very expensive in terms of fuel consumption and different options have been considered to reduce the fuel consumption. An alternative solution, already considered in the literature, is to use a gravity assisted maneuver (swing-by) with the Moon to make the out-of-plane part of the maneuver, as shown in [2].…”

“…The contribution of the present paper is to analyze the influence of the semi-major axis of the transfer orbit of the spacecraft, which was a point not considered in previous studies [2].…”