Artificial halo orbits for low-thrust propulsion spacecraft

Baig, S. and McInnes, C. R. (2009) Artificial halo orbits for low-thrust propulsion spacecraft. Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy, 104(4), pp. 321-335. (doi: 10.1007/s10569-009-9215-4)

Abstract

We consider periodic halo orbits about artificial equilibrium points (AEP) near to the Lagrange points L 1 and L 2 in the circular restricted three body problem, where the third body is a low-thrust propulsion spacecraft in the Sun–Earth system. Although such halo orbits about artificial equilibrium points can be generated using a solar sail, there are points inside L 1 and beyond L 2 where a solar sail cannot be placed, so low-thrust, such as solar electric propulsion, is the only option to generate artificial halo orbits around points inaccessible to a solar sail. Analytical and numerical halo orbits for such low-thrust propulsion systems are obtained by using the Lindstedt Poincaré and differential corrector method respectively. Both the period and minimum amplitude of halo orbits about artificial equilibrium points inside L 1 decreases with an increase in low-thrust acceleration. The halo orbits about artificial equilibrium points beyond L 2 in contrast show an increase in period with an increase in low-thrust acceleration. However, the minimum amplitude first increases and then decreases after the thrust acceleration exceeds 0.415 mm/s2. Using a continuation method, we also find stable artificial halo orbits which can be sustained for long integration times and require a reasonably small low-thrust acceleration 0.0593 mm/s2.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: McInnes, Professor Colin
• Authors: Baig, S., and McInnes, C. R.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Systems Power and Energy
• Journal Name: Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• ISSN: 0923-2958
• ISSN (Online): 1572-9478