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Design of Round-trip Trajectories to Near-Earth Asteroids Utilizing a Lunar FlybyThere are currently over 7,700 known Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs), and more are being discovered on a continual basis. Current models predict that the actual order of magnitude of the NEA population may range from 10' to 10 6 . The close proximity of NEA orbits to Earth's orbit makes it possible to design short duration round-trip trajectories to NEAs under the proper conditions. In previous work, 59 potentially accessible NEAs were identified for missions that depart Earth between the years 2016 and 2050 and have round-trip flight times of a year or less. We now present a new method for designing round-trip trajectories to NEAs in which the Moon's gravity aids the outbound trajectory via a lunar flyby. In some cases this gravity assist can reduce the overall spacecraft propellant required for the mission, which in turn can allow NEAs to be reached which would otherwise be inaccessible to a given mission architecture. Results are presented for a specific case study on NEA 2003 LN6.
Document ID
20110008138
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Hernandez, Sonia (Texas Univ. Austin, TX, United States)
Barbee, Brent W. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
February 13, 2011
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
AAS 11-181
Meeting Information
Meeting: 21st AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting
Location: New Orleans, LA
Country: United States
Start Date: February 13, 2011
End Date: February 17, 2011
Sponsors: American Astronomical Society, American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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