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An Observational Approach to Low Lunar Frozen Orbit DesignLow lunar frozen orbits can be used to enable long-duration missions at the Moon while also minimizing the fuel usage necessary for orbit maintenance. There is no analytical expression for determining these frozen orbits, so a high-fidelity simulation approach is required. A differential correction targeting approach was used to find initial conditions that zeroed out argument of periapsis and eccentricity growth. This approach was used during the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter extended mission period for four different frozen orbit instances. Observations of the evolution of key orbit elements (e.g. periapsis altitude and the eccentricity vector) led to an understanding of the orbit dynamics and helped to formulate a simple observational approach to finding frozen or quasi-frozen low lunar orbits that looks at minimizing the spread in the periselene altitude evolution.
Document ID
20230011564
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Presentation
Authors
Michael Mesarch
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Date Acquired
August 4, 2023
Subject Category
Astrodynamics
Report/Patent Number
AAS-23-238
Meeting Information
Meeting: 2023 AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference
Location: Big Sky, MT
Country: US
Start Date: August 13, 2023
End Date: August 17, 2023
Sponsors: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, American Astronautical Society
Funding Number(s)
WBS: 970019.02.01
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
Technical Review
Single Expert
Keywords
Moon Frozen Orbit LRO
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