TRAJECTORY DESIGN USING PERIAPSE POINCARE MAPS AND INVARIANT MANIFOLDS

Previous researchers have demonstrated that the periapse Poincare map is very useful to deliver insight into trajectory behavior near the smaller primary within the context of the restricted three-body problem. In this investigation, periapse maps are employed as a design tool for the construction of both planar and three-dimensional transit trajectories with predetermined characteristics. The design strategies are demonstrated via examples that include transit trajectories, as well as heteroclinic connections. Besides mission design, these techniques are also applied to generate path approximations for several Jupiter family comets.