Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “LUNAR TRAJECTORY”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1998

Voyager Outreach Compilation

This NASA JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) video presents a collection of the best videos that have been published of the Voyager mission. Computer animation/simulations comprise the largest portion of the video and include outer planetary magnetic fields, outer planetary lunar surfaces, and the Voyager spacecraft trajectory. Voyager visited the four outer planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The video contains some live shots of Jupiter (actual), the Earth's moon (from orbit), Saturn (actual), Neptune (actual) and Uranus (actual), but is mainly comprised of computer animations of these planets and their moons. Some of the individual short videos that are compiled are entitled: The Solar System; Voyage to the Outer Planets; A Tour of the Solar System; and the Neptune Encounter. Computerized simulations of Viewing Neptune from Triton, Diving over Neptune to Meet Triton, and Catching Triton in its Retrograde Orbit are included. Several animations of Neptune's atmosphere, rotation and weather features as well as significant discussion of the planet's natural satellites are also presented.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2002

The MAP Propulsion Subsystem

This paper describes the requirements, design, integration, test, performance, and lessons learned of NASA's Microwave Anisotropy Probe (MAP) propulsion subsystem. MAP was launched on a Delta-II launch vehicle from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on June 30, 2001. Due to instrument thermal stability requirements, the Earth-Sun L2 Lagrange point was selected for the mission orbit. The L2 trajectory incorporated phasing loops and a lunar gravity assist. The propulsion subsystem's requirements are to manage momentum, perform maneuvers during the phasing loops to set up the lunar swingby, and perform stationkeeping at L2 for 2 years. MAP's propulsion subsystem uses 8 thrusters which are located and oriented to provide attitude control and momentum management about all axes, and delta-V in any direction without exposing the instrument to the sun. The propellant tank holds 72 kg of hydrazine, which is expelled by unregulated blowdown pressurization. Thermal management is complex because no heater cycling is allowed at L2. Several technical challenges presented themselves during I and T, such as in-situ weld repairs and in-situ bending of thruster tubes to accommodate late changes in the observatory CG. On-orbit performance has been nominal, and all phasing loop, mid-course correction, and stationkeeping maneuvers have been successfully performed to date.

Davis, Gary T.↗
NASA NTRS2007

STEREO Mission Design Implementation

STEREO (Solar-TErrestrial RElations Observatory) is the third mission in the Solar Terrestrial Probes program (STP) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate Sun-Earth Connection theme. This paper describes the successful implementation (lunar swingby targeting) of the mission following the first phasing orbit to deployment into the heliocentric mission orbits following the two lunar swingbys. The STEREO Project had to make some interesting trajectory decisions in order to exploit opportunities to image a bright comet and an unusual lunar transit across the Sun.

Guzman, Jose J.↗
NASA NTRS2014

The Near Earth Object (NEO) Scout Spacecraft: A Low-cost Approach to In-situ Characterization of the NEO Population

This paper describes a microsatellite spacecraft with supporting mission profile and architecture, designed to enable preliminary in-situ characterization of a significant number of Near Earth Objects (NEOs) at reasonably low cost. The spacecraft will be referred to as the NEO-Scout. NEO-Scout spacecraft are to be placed in Geosynchronous Equatorial Orbit (GEO), cis-lunar space, or on earth escape trajectories as secondary payloads on launch vehicles headed for GEO or beyond, and will begin their mission after deployment from the launcher. A distinguishing key feature of the NEO-Scout system is to design the spacecraft and mission timeline so as to enable rendezvous with and landing on the target NEO during NEO close approach (<0.3 AU) to the Earth-Moon system using low-thrust/high-impulse propulsion systems. Mission durations are on the order 100 to 400 days. Mission feasibility and preliminary design analysis are presented, along with detailed trajectory calculations.

Woeppel, Eric A.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Exploration Missions to Host Small Payloads

The next-generation heavy launch vehicle, the Space Launch System (SLS), will provide the capability to deploy small satellites during the trans-lunar phase of the exploration mission trajectory. We will describe the payload mission concept of operations, the payload capacity for the SLS, and the payload requirements. Exploration Mission 1, currently planned for launch in December 2017, will be the first mission to carry such payloads on the SLS.

Cirtain, Jonathan↗
NASA NTRS2016

Moon Age and Regolith Explorer (MARE) Mission Design and Performance

The moon’s surface last saw a controlled landing from a U.S. spacecraft on December 11, 1972 with Apollo 17. Since that time, there has been an absence of methodical in-situ investigation of the lunar surface. In addition to the scientific value of measuring the age and composition of a relatively young portion of the lunar surface near Aristarchus Plateau, the Moon Age and Regolith Explorer (MARE) proposal provides the first U.S. soft lunar landing since the Apollo Program and the first ever robotic soft lunar landing employing an autonomous hazard detection and avoidance system, a system that promises to enhance crew safety and survivability during a manned lunar (or other) landing. This report focuses on the mission design and performance associated with the MARE robotic lunar landing subject to mission and trajectory constraints.

Condon, Gerald L.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Moon Age and Regolith Explorer (MARE) Mission Design and Performance

On December 11, 1972, Apollo 17 marked the last controlled U.S. lunar landing and was followed by an absence of methodical in-situ investigation of the lunar surface. The Moon Age and Regolith Explorer (MARE) proposal provides scientific measurement of the age and composition of a relatively young portion of the lunar surface near Aristarchus Plateau and the first post-Apollo U.S. soft lunar landing. It includes the first demonstration of a crew survivability-enhancing autonomous hazard detection and avoidance system. This report focuses on the mission design and performance associated with the MARE robotic lunar landing subject to mission and trajectory constraints.

Condon, Gerald L.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout

NASA is developing solar sail propulsion for a near-term Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) reconnaissance mission that will lay the groundwork for the future use of solar sails. The NEA Scout mission will use the sail as primary propulsion allowing it to survey and image one NEA's of interest for future human exploration. NEA Scout will launch on the first mission of the Space Launch System (SLS) in 2018. After its first encounter with the Moon, NEA Scout will enter the sail characterization phase by the 86 square meter sail deployment. A mechanical Active Mass Translation (AMT) system, combined with the remaining ACS propellant, will be used for sail momentum management. The spacecraft will perform a series of lunar flybys to achieve optimum departure trajectory before beginning its two year-long cruise. About one month before the asteroid flyby, NEA Scout will start its approach phase using optical navigation on top of radio tracking. The solar sail will provide NEA Scout continuous low thrust to enable a relatively slow flyby of the target asteroid under lighting conditions favorable to geological imaging. Once complete, NASA will have demonstrated the capability to fly low-cost, high delta V CubeSats to perform interplanetary missions.

Johnson, Les↗
NASA NTRS2019

HelioSwarm: Swarm Mission Design in High Altitude Orbit for Heliophysics

Resolving the complex three-dimensional turbulent structures that characterize the solar wind requires contemporaneous spatially and temporally distributed measurements. HelioSwarm is a mission concept that will deploy multiple, co-orbiting satellites to use the solar wind as a natural laboratory for understanding the fundamental, universal process of plasma turbulence. The HelioSwarm transfer trajectory and science orbit use a lunar gravity assist to deliver the ESPA-class nodes attached to a large data transfer hub to a P/2 lunar resonant orbit. Once deployed in the science orbit, the free-flying, propulsive nodes use simple Cartesian relative motion patterns to establish baseline separations both along and across the solar wind flow direction.

lunar resonant orbit↗
NASA NTRS2019

HelioSwarm: Swarm Mission Design in High Altitude Orbit for Heliophysics

Resolving the complex three-dimensional turbulent structures that characterize the solar wind requires contemporaneous spatially and temporally distributed measurements. HelioSwarm is a mission concept that will deploy multiple, co-orbiting satellites to use the solar wind as a natural laboratory for understanding the fundamental, universal process of plasma turbulence. The HelioSwarm transfer trajectory and science orbit use a lunar gravity assist to deliver the ESPA-class nodes attached to a large data transfer hub to a P/2 lunar resonant orbit. Once deployed in the science orbit, the free-flying, propulsive nodes use simple Cartesian relative motion patterns to establish baseline separations both along and across the solar wind flow direction.

lunar resonant orbit↗
NASA NTRS1986

Orbital acrobatics in the Sun-Earth-Moon system

Unconventional trajectory techniques for space missions in the Sun-Earth-Moon system, including libration-point orbits, gravity-assist maneuvers, and Earth-return trajectories are reviewed. The ISEE-3/ICE flight experience is used to illustrate the utility of libration-point orbits called halo-orbits. Five lunar gravity-assist maneuvers used by the ISEE-3/ICE spacecraft are discussed. The final lunar swingby sent the spacecraft into a heliocentric trajectory that will eventually intercept Comet Giacobini-Zinner. As an example of the Earth-return trajectory concept, a proposed mission that includes flybys of three comets and two asteroids is described.

Farquhar, Robert W.↗
NASA NTRS1984

A numerical investigation of planetesimal collision trajectories with a Moon accumulating in Earth orbit

In the scenario of lunar origin in which the Moon is assumed to have accreted most of its mass while in orbit about the Earth, ismals on the accrea knowledge of the relative impact rates of heliocentric planetting Earth and Moon is essential for any attempt to establish dynamical constraints on lunar origin. Numerical integrations of the regularized equations of motion for four bodies (Sun, Earth, Moon, planetismal) were done. A planetismal impact trajectory was calculated by assuming that the planetismal has hit the surface of the Moon at an assumed location, traveling in an assumed direction, and with an assumed impact speed. Next, the equations of motion were numerically integrated backward in time in order to determine from where the planetismal has come. In this way those volumes in heliocentric orbital element space which contribute trajectories that directly impact the Moon.

Cox, L. P.↗
NASA NTRS2001

High Earth Orbit Design for Lunar-Assisted Medium Class Explorer Missions

This study investigates the application of high-Earth orbit (HEO) trajectories to missions requiring long on-target integration times, avoidance of the Earth's radiation belt, and minimal effects of Earth and Lunar shadow periods which could cause thermal/mechanical stresses on the science instruments. As used here, a HEO trajectory is a particular solution to the restricted three-body problem in the Earth-Moon system with the orbit period being either 1/2 of, or 1/4 of, the lunar sidereal period. A primary mission design goal is to find HEO trajectories where, for a five-year mission duration, the minimum perigee radius is greater than seven Earth radii (R(sub E)). This minimum perigee radius is chosen so that, for the duration of the mission, the perigee is always above the relatively heavily populated geosynchronous radius of 6.6 R(sub E). A secondary goal is to maintain as high an ecliptic inclination as possible for the duration of the mission to keep the apsis points well out of the Ecliptic plane. Mission design analysis was completed for launch dates in the month of June 2003, using both direct transfer and phasing loop transfer techniques, to a lunar swingby for final insertion into a HEO. Also provided are analysis results of eclipse patterns for the trajectories studied, as well as the effects of launch vehicle errors and launch delays.

McGiffin, Daniel A.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Artemis I Trajectory Design and Optimization

This paper presents the overall trajectory design and optimization process for NASA’s Artemis I mission to send an uncrewed Orion vehicle to a lunar Distant Retrograde Orbit (DRO). The on-orbit trajectory begins at the Space Launch System (SLS) core separation and ends at the Orion service module Earth Entry Interface (EI) point. The details of the trajectory optimization process are presented, including design of nominal and extended mission options, launch windows, and abort options. Novel design techniques are also discussed to account for contingencies, such as using auxiliary thrusters to protect against main engine failure and applying trajectory shaping to mitigate or reduce eclipse durations.

Artemis I↗
NASA NTRS1993

Galileo imaging results from the second Earth-Moon flyby: Lunar Maria and related units

The second flyby of the Earth-Moon System by Galileo occurred on December 7, 1992, on its trajectory toward Jupiter. The flyby took the spacecraft over the lunar north polar region from the dark farside and continued across the illuminated nearside. This provided the first opportunity to observe northern and northeastern limb regions with a modern, multispectral imaging system with high spatial resolution (up to 1.1 km/pixel). Scientific objectives included compositional assessment of previously uncharacterized mare regions, study of various light plains materials, and assessment of dark mantle deposits (DMD) and dark halo craters (DHC). Color composite images were prepared from ratios of Galileo SSI filter data (0.76/0.41 yields red; 0.76/0.99 yields green; 0.41/0.76 yields blue) and used for preliminary comparison of units. The 0.41/0.76 ratio has been empirically correlated to Ti content of mare soils (blue is relatively high, red is relatively low). The relative strengths of the ferrous one micron absorption in mafic minerals can be compared using the 0.76/0.99 ratio. In addition, relative ages of units analyzed spectrally were determined from crater statistics using Lunar Orbiter images following the techniques of Neukum et al. Mare deposits analyzed include Mare Humboldtianum, central and eastern Mare Frigoris, Mare Crisium and other deposits in the Crisium Basin, and isolated mare patches on the northeastern lunar limb. Preliminary results show a diversity of 0.41/0.76 micron signatures, implying a wide range of titanium contents. Some light plains units are similar to units found at the Apollo 16 site; others may be ancient mare materials. Dark mantle deposits (DMD) analyzed also are available.

Greeley, R.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Artemis I Off-Nominal-Trajectory Design and Optimization

In order to achieve the Artemis I mission objectives to human-rate the Orion spacecraft even under off-nominal conditions, trajectories were developed to handle contingency scenarios: alternate missions for contingencies before or during the Trans-Lunar Injection burn, recoveries to return Orion to the nominal trajectory after a delayed or partial burn, and abort trajectories to return the spacecraft to Earth after a critical failure. In addition, disposal trajectories were generated for situations where recovery was not an option. Details are given on the trajectory characteristics, solution families, the generation of the trajectories, and operations considerations.

Artemis I↗
NASA NTRS1987

Ferry to the moon

Solar-electric propulsion for a fleet of lunar ferry vehicles may allow the creation of a permanent lunar base not long after the turn of the century with greater cost effectiveness than a fleet of chemically powered spacecraft. After delivery by the Space Shuttle to a 300-km earth orbit, the lunar ferry envisioned would travel in spiral trajectory to the moon under the power of 300-kW solar arrays and ten 30-kW Xe-ion engines; each of the solar arrays would be 12 x 61 m long. Each trip between the earth parking orbit and the moon would take about 1 year, so that a fleet of four ferries operating simultaneously could deliver 20 metric tons to a lunar base every 100 days.

Aston, Graeme↗