Characteristics of Quasi-Terminator Orbits Near Primitive Bodies

Quasi-terminator orbits are introduced as a class of quasi-periodic trajectories in the solar radiation pressure (SRP) perturbed Hill dynamics. These orbits offer significant displacements along the Sun-direction without the need for station-keeping maneuvers. Thus, quasi-terminator orbits have application to primitive-body missions, where a variety of observation geometries relative to the Sun (or other directions) can be achieved. This paper describes the characteristics of these orbits as a function of normalized SRP strength and invariant torus frequency ratio and presents a discussion of mission design considerations for a global surface mapping orbit design.