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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.

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At least 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2010

Stationkeeping of Lissajous Trajectories in the Earth-Moon System with Applications to ARTEMIS

In the last few decades, several missions have successfully exploited trajectories near the.Sun-Earth L1 and L2 libration points. Recently, the collinear libration points in the Earth-Moon system have emerged as locations with immediate application. Most libration point orbits, in any system, are inherently unstable. and must be controlled. To this end, several stationkeeping strategies are considered for application to ARTEMIS. Two approaches are examined to investigate the stationkeeping problem in this regime and the specific options. available for ARTEMIS given the mission and vehicle constraints. (I) A baseline orbit-targeting approach controls the vehicle to remain near a nominal trajectory; a related global optimum search method searches all possible maneuver angles to determine an optimal angle and magnitude; and (2) an orbit continuation method, with various formulations determines maneuver locations and minimizes costs. Initial results indicate that consistent stationkeeping costs can be achieved with both approaches and the costs are reasonable. These methods are then applied to Lissajous trajectories representing a baseline ARTEMIS libration orbit trajectory.

Folta, D. C.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Meteoroid environment near the Earth-Moon system

We undertook a research program to investigate the properties of small objects crossing the orbit of the Earth-Moon system using a unique set of data obtained during the Apollo lunar landing missions with a network of seismic stations on the surface of the Moon. The primary objectives of the study were to find out the nature of these objects, whether they were of cometary or asteroidal origin based on their orbital distributions and seismic effects upon impacts, and then to infer the role these small objects play in the evolution of the solar system. In this final technical report, we briefly summarize the results of this study. Detailed results of the study have been published in a series of papers and a dissertation, which are listed in the PUBLICATIONS section. Abstracts of the published papers and the dissertation are attached as an appendix.

Nakamura, Yosio↗
NASA NTRS2016

Low-Thrust Transfers from Distant Retrograde Orbits to L2 Halo Orbits in the Earth-Moon System

This paper presents a study of transfers between distant retrograde orbits (DROs) and L2 halo orbits in the Earth-Moon system that could be flown by a spacecraft with solar electric propulsion (SEP). Two collocation-based optimal control methods are used to optimize these highly-nonlinear transfers: Legendre pseudospectral and Hermite-Simpson. Transfers between DROs and halo orbits using low-thrust propulsion have not been studied previously. This paper offers a study of several families of trajectories, parameterized by the number of orbital revolutions in a synodic frame. Even with a poor initial guess, a method is described to reliably generate families of solutions. The circular restricted 3-body problem (CRTBP) is used throughout the paper so that the results are autonomous and simpler to understand.

trajectory design↗
NASA NTRS1989

V, Cr, and Mn in the earth, moon, EPB, and SPB and the origin of the moon - Experimental studies

The abundances of V, Cr, and Mn inferred for the mantles of the earth and moon decrease in that order and are similar in both mantles (but distinct from those in the mantles of the Eucrite Parent Body and Shergottite Parent Body), suggesting a common origin for the mantles of the earth and the moon. This hypothesis was investigated on the basis of a comparison between the depletions of V, Cr, and Mn in the mantles of the earth and the moon, and the metal/silicate partition coefficients of these elements at 1260 C and 1 bar pressure among a S-bearing metallic liquid, a silicate melt, and a FeNi alloy. It was found that the earth and the moon depletions of V, Cr, and Mn are not correlated with metal/silicate partition coefficients; the V and Cr partitioned into S-rich metallic liquids under reducing conditions more strongly than Mn, consistent with the relative volatilities of these elements. This indicates that the depletion patterns of these elements in the mantles of the earth and moon cannot be attributed primarily to terrestrial core formation.

Drake, Michael J.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Origin and evolution of the earth-moon system.

The general problem of formation of secondary bodies around a central body is studied, and comparison is made with other satellite systems (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus). The normal satellite systems of Neptune and the earth are reconstructed. The capture theory, the tidal evolution of the lunar orbit, destruction of a normal satellite system, asteroids and the earth-moon system, and accretion and heat structure of the moon are discussed. It is concluded that the moon originated as a planet accreted in a jet stream near the orbit of the earth, and was probably captured in a retrograde orbit.

Alfven, H.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Dynamic Optimization of Multi-Spacecraft Relative Navigation Configurations in the Earth-Moon System

In this paper, the notion of relative navigation introduced by Hill, Lo and Born is analyzed for a large class of periodic orbits in the Earth-Moon three-body problem, due to its potential in supporting Moon exploration efforts. In particular, a navigation metric is introduced and used as a cost function to optimize over a class of periodic orbits. While the problem could be solve locally as an optimal control problem, a dynamical based approach that allows for a global/systematic view of the problem is proposed. First, the simpler problem of multiple spacecraft placement on a given periodic orbit is solved before the notion of continuation and bifurcation analysis is used to expand the range of solutions thus obtained.

Three Body Problem↗
NASA NTRS1977

Chemical compositions of the moon, earth, and eucrite parent body

Model compositions of the moon and earth were calculated on the assumption that these planets had experienced chondrite-like nebular fractionation processes. The model correctly predicts the abundance ratios of certain volatile/refractory element pairs (e.g., Cd/Ba, Ga/La, Sn/Th, and Pb/U), the density of the moon, and the major rock types. The model is also used to reconstruct the composition of the parent eucrite body, which resembles the moon except for a lower content of refractory elements.

Anders, E.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Comparative Planetary Mineralogy: Basaltic Plagioclase from Earth, Moon, Mars and 4 Vesta

Major, minor and trace element analysis of silicates has allowed for the study of planetary basalts in a comparative planetary mineralogy context. We continue this initiative by exploring the chemistry of plagioclase feldspar in basalts from the Earth, Moon, Mars and 4 Vesta. This paper presents new data on plagioclase from six terrestrial basalt suites including Keweenawan, Island Arc, Hawaiian, Columbia Plateau, Taos Plateau, and Ocean Floor; six lunar basalt suites including Apollo 11 Low K, Apollo 12 Ilmenite, Apollo 12 Olivine, Apollo 12 Pigeonite, Apollo 15 Olivine, and Apollo 15 Pigeonite; two basaltic martian meteorites, Shergotty and QUE 94201; and one unequilibrated eucrite, Pasamonte.

Karner, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS2004

A Survey Of Earth-Moon Libration Orbits: Stationkeeping Strategies And Intra-Orbit Transfers

Cislunar space is a readily accessible region that may well develop into a prime staging area in the effort to colonize space near Earth or to colonize the Moon. While there have been statements made by various NASA programs regarding placement of resources in orbit about the Earth-Moon Lagrangian locations, there is no survey of the total cost associated with attaining and maintaining these unique orbits in an operational fashion. Transfer trajectories between these orbits required for assembly, servicing, and positioning of these resources have not been extensively investigated. These orbits are dynamically similar to those used for the Sun-Earth missions, but differences in governing gravitational ratios and perturbation sources result in unique characteristics. We implement numerical computations using high fidelity models and linear and nonlinear targeting techniques to compute the various maneuver (Delta)V and temporal costs associated with orbits about each of the Earth-Moon Lagrangian locations (L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5). From a dynamical system standpoint, we speak to the nature of these orbits and their stability. We address the cost of transfers between each pair of Lagrangian locations.

Folta, David↗
NASA NTRS2021

Exploring Transfers Between Earth-Moon Halo Orbits via Multi-Objective Reinforcement Learning

Multi-Reward Proximal Policy Optimization, a multi-objective deep reinforcement learning algorithm, is used to examine the design space of low-thrust trajectories for a SmallSat transferring between two libration point orbits in the Earth- Moon system. Using Multi-Reward Proximal Policy Optimiza- tion, multiple policies are simultaneously and efficiently trained on three distinct trajectory design scenarios. Each policy is trained to create a unique control scheme based on the trajectory design scenario and assigned reward function: a unique combination of weights scaling competing objectives that guide the spacecraft to the target mission orbit, incentivize faster flight times, and penalize propellant mass usage. Then, the policies are evaluated on the same set of perturbed initial conditions in each scenario to generate the propellant mass usages, flight times, and state discontinuities from a reference trajectory for each control scheme. This solution space of low-thrust trajectories for a SmallSat is used to examine the multi-objective trade space for the trajectory design scenario. By autonomously constructing the solution space, insights into the required propellant mass, flight time, and transfer geometry are rapidly achieved.

Mashiku, Alinda K.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Counterglow from the earth-moon libration points

Results from the OSO-6 Rutgers Zodiacal Light Analyzer experiment show photometric perturbations above the background in the antisun line of sight. Sixteen successive lunations were examined, and the accumulated perturbations show a maximum value in the direction of the L4 and L5 earth-moon libration points. This is interpreted as a counterglow from a cloud of particles at the libration points. The average brightness of these libration clouds is 20 S10 Vis. The average angular size of the libration clouds is approximately 6 degrees. Their position varies from one lunation to the next, within an ellipsoidal zone centered on the libration-point direction, with its semimajor axis, of approximately 6 degrees, nominally in the ecliptic and its semiminor axis, of approximately 2 degrees perpendicular to the ecliptic. The position of these clouds with respect to the Lagrangian L4 and L5 points is towards the moon in the northern summer and away from the moon in the northern winter.

Roach, J. R.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Exploring Transfers Between Earth-Moon Halo Orbits via Multi-Objective Reinforcement Learning

Multi-Reward Proximal Policy Optimization, a multi-objective deep reinforcement learning algorithm, is used to examine the design space of low-thrust trajectories for a SmallSat transferring between two libration point orbits in the Earth-Moon system. Using Multi-Reward Proximal Policy Optimization, multiple policies are simultaneously and efficiently trained on three distinct trajectory design scenarios. Each policy is trained to create a unique control scheme based on the trajectory design scenario and assigned reward function: a unique combination of weights scaling competing objectives that guide the spacecraft to the target mission orbit, incentivize faster flight times, and penalize propellant mass usage. Then, the policies are evaluated on the same set of perturbed initial conditions in each scenario to generate the propellant mass usages, flight times, and state discontinuities from a reference trajectory for each control scheme. This solution space of low-thrust trajectories for a SmallSat is used to examine the multi-objective trade space for the trajectory design scenario. By autonomously constructing the solution space, insights into the required propellant mass, flight time, and transfer geometry are rapidly achieved.

Christopher J Sullivan↗