Adaptive LEO-Phase Free-Return Orbit Design Method for Manned Lunar Mission Based on LEO Rendezvous

To design a free-return orbit for manned lunar mission based on low earth orbit (LEO) rendezvous, an adaptive LEO-phase free-return orbit design method based on high-precision dynamics model is proposed. First, the radius of perilune and the absolute value of perilune velocity are decoupled using a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of the astronautical sciences 2019-12, Vol.66 (4), p.446-459
Main Authors: He, Bo-yong, Li, Heng-nian, Zheng, Ai-wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerospace Technology and Astronautics
Coordinates
Earth orbital rendezvous
Engineering
Inclination
Independent variables
Iterative algorithms
Iterative methods
Low earth orbits
Lunar exploration
Lunar orbital rendezvous
Mathematical Applications in the Physical Sciences
Numerical integration
Optimization
Orbital elements
Orbital mechanics
Quadratic programming
Rotation
Space Exploration and Astronautics
Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics
Translunar injection
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Summary:To design a free-return orbit for manned lunar mission based on low earth orbit (LEO) rendezvous, an adaptive LEO-phase free-return orbit design method based on high-precision dynamics model is proposed. First, the radius of perilune and the absolute value of perilune velocity are decoupled using a coordinate system rotation, which is derived from moon-centric local vertical and local horizontal instantaneous coordinate system at the time of perilune. The two Euler rotation angles and the absolute value of perilune velocity are used as independent design variables because their initial values are easy to guess. Next, a two-segment numerical integration strategy is proposed to calculate orbital elements at the moments of trans-lunar injection and free-return vacuum perigee. Subsequently, an optimization algorithm software package for solving large-scale nonlinear sequential quadratic programming problems (SQP_snopt) is employed to search the objective free-return orbit with a fixed trans-lunar injection inclination and the other two constraints on radiuses of perigee at the times of trans-lunar injection and vacuum perigee. After that, an iteration algorithm is devised to adjust trans-lunar injection window for adaptive LEO-phase. Finally, numerical results show a fast and accurate performance of the direct optimization method, which can provide valuable references to manned lunar missions based on LEO rendezvous.
ISSN:0021-9142
2195-0571
DOI:10.1007/s40295-019-00182-3