Missions to Dynamic Environments

Abstract

From planets to planetary satellites to comets and asteroids, the solar system beyond the Earth's immediate environment is rich with potential targets for space science missions. The exploration of such exotic space destinations requires a deep understanding of their surrounding dynamic environments. In this chapter, a survey of the dominant perturbations in the dynamical environments of high priority targets is given in the context of the orbit mechanics and preliminary design techniques of past, present, and future missions. The chapter is organized around the three dominant non‐Keplerian perturbations and their respective roles in missions that target three general classes of celestial bodies. The dominant perturbations are non‐spherical gravity, third body gravity, and solar pressure radiation while the bodies are generally classified as planets, large planetary satellites, or small bodies consisting of comets, asteroids, and small planetary satellites. A main contribution is a mission design reference that quantifies the relative importance of these perturbations providing a quick calibration of the dynamic environments of potential target bodies. Mission classes and design techniques considered include low‐ and high‐altitude orbiters, grand tour trajectories, patched conics, gravity assisted flybys, Tisserand graphs, three‐body models, periodic orbits, orbit averaging, and stable/unstable manifold design.