PRELIMINARY STUDY OF THE TRANSFER TRAJECTORY FROM THE MOON TO THE HALO ORBIT FOR THE SMALL SCIENTIFIC SPACECRAFT, DESTINY

This study investigates the trajectory design of the small scientific spacecraft, DESTINY (Demonstration and Space Technology for INterplanetary voYage), which aims to be launched by the third Japanese next-generation solid propellant rocket (Epsilon rocket) around 2017. In the DESTINY mission, the spacecraft will go to the moon by the ion engine from the large ellipse orbit. Afterward, by using the lunar swing-by, the spacecraft will put into the periodic orbit in the vicinity of the libration point (Halo orbit) of the Sun-Earth L2. This study focuses on the transfer trajectories from the moon to the Halo orbit.