System and method of a ballistic capture transfer to L4, L5
AssigneeGalaxy Development, LLC
InventorEdward A. Belbruno
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A technique for transferring an object such as a spacecraft to one of the stable Lagrange points, for instance L4 or L5, utilizes a substantially negligible amount of delta-V. In doing so, payload amounts may be increased. Initially, a modified weak stability boundary transfer with parameters sufficient to transfer the spacecraft from a first heavenly object or a first heavenly object orbit to a vicinity of a second heavenly object is performed. Then, the spacecraft is momentarily captured at a capture point located in the vicinity of the second heavenly object. Upon capture, a maneuver is executed at the capture point to target the stable Lagrange point utilizing a substantially negligible amount of propellant. Finally, the spacecraft arrives at the stable Lagrange point.
Claims57
A method for transferring a spacecraft from a first heavenly object or a first heavenly object orbit to a stable Lagrange point, comprising:
- performing a modified weak stability boundary transfer with parameters sufficient to transfer the spacecraft from the first heavenly object or the first heavenly object orbit to a vicinity of a second heavenly object using a forward algorithm,
- allowing momentary capture of the spacecraft at a capture point located in the vicinity of the second heavenly object;
- executing a maneuver at the capture point to target the stable Lagrange point utilizing a substantially negligible amount of propellant;
- and
- arriving at the stable Lagrange point.
A method for transferring a spacecraft from a first heavenly object or a first heavenly object orbit to a stable Lagrange point, comprising:
- performing a modified weak stability boundary transfer with parameters sufficient to transfer the spacecraft from the first heavenly object or the first heavenly object orbit to a vicinity of a second heavenly object,
- allowing momentary capture of the spacecraft at a capture point located in the vicinity of the second heavenly object;
- executing a maneuver at the capture point to target the stable Lagrange point utilizing a substantially negligible amount of propellant;
- arriving at the stable Lagrange point;
- wherein said performing a modified weak stability boundary transfer comprises the steps of:
- implementing a forward targeting process by varying the parameters for convergence of target variables at the capture point from the first heavenly object or the first heavenly object orbit;
- and
- iterating said step of implementing until sufficient convergence to obtain the momentary capture of the spacecraft at the capture point.
A method for transferring a spacecraft from a first heavenly object or a first heavenly object orbit to a stable Lagrange point, comprising:
- performing a modified weak stability boundary transfer with parameters sufficient to transfer the spacecraft from the first heavenly object or the first heavenly object orbit to a vicinity of a second heavenly object,
- allowing momentary capture of the spacecraft at a capture point located in the vicinity of the second heavenly object;
- executing a maneuver at the capture point to target the stable Lagrange point utilizing a substantially negligible amount of propellant;
- arriving at the stable Lagrange point;
- wherein said maneuver comprises reducing a norm of a velocity vector at said capture point.
A computer system for facilitating transfer of a spacecraft from a first heavenly object or a first heavenly object orbit to a stable Lagrange point, wherein said computer system comprises a processor, and a memory medium accessible by the processor, said computer system implementing the functions of:
- performing a modified weak stability boundary transfer with parameters sufficient to transfer the spacecraft from the first heavenly object or the first heavenly object orbit to a vicinity of a second heavenly object using a forward algorithm,
- allowing momentary capture of the spacecraft at a capture point located in the vicinity of the second heavenly object;
- executing a maneuver at the capture point to target the stable Lagrange point utilizing a substantially negligible amount of propellant;
- and
- arriving at the stable Lagrange point.
A computer system for facilitating transfer of a spacecraft from a first heavenly object or a first heavenly object orbit to a stable Lagrange point, wherein said computer system comprises a processor, and a memory medium accessible by the processor, said computer system implementing the functions of:
- performing a modified weak stability boundary transfer with parameters sufficient to transfer the spacecraft from the first heavenly object or the first heavenly object orbit to a vicinity of a second heavenly object,
- allowing momentary capture of the spacecraft at a capture point located in the vicinity of the second heavenly object;
- executing a maneuver at the capture point to target the stable Lagrange point utilizing a substantially negligible amount of propellant;
- arriving at the stable Lagrange point;
- wherein said performing a modified weak stability boundary transfer comprises the steps of:
- implementing a forward targeting process by varying the parameters for convergence of target variables at the capture point from the first heavenly object or the first heavenly object orbit;
- and
- iterating said step of implementing until sufficient convergence to obtain the momentary capture of the spacecraft at the capture point.
A computer system for facilitating transfer of a spacecraft from a first heavenly object or a first heavenly object orbit to a stable Lagrange point, wherein said computer system comprises a processor, and a memory medium accessible by the processor, said computer system implementing the functions of:
- performing a modified weak stability boundary transfer with parameters sufficient to transfer the spacecraft from the first heavenly object or the first heavenly object orbit to a vicinity of a second heavenly object,
- allowing momentary capture of the spacecraft at a capture point located in the vicinity of the second heavenly object;
- executing a maneuver at the capture point to target the stable Lagrange point utilizing a substantially negligible amount of propellant;
- arriving at the stable Lagrange point;
- wherein said maneuver comprises reducing a norm of a velocity vector at said capture point.
A system for facilitating transfer of a spacecraft from a first heavenly object or a first heavenly object orbit to a stable Lagrange point, comprising:
- means for facilitating performance of a modified weak stability boundary transfer with parameters sufficient to transfer the spacecraft from the first heavenly object or the first heavenly object orbit to a vicinity of a second heavenly object using a forward algorithm,
- means for facilitating momentary capture of the spacecraft at a capture point located in the vicinity of the second heavenly object;
- means for facilitating execution of a maneuver at the capture point to target the stable Lagrange point utilizing a substantially negligible amount of propellant;
- and
- means for facilitating an arrival at the stable Lagrange point.
A system for facilitating transfer of a spacecraft from a first heavenly object or a first heavenly object orbit to a stable Lagrange point, comprising:
- means for facilitating performance of a modified weak stability boundary transfer with parameters sufficient to transfer the spacecraft from the first heavenly object or the first heavenly object orbit to a vicinity of a second heavenly object,
- means for facilitating momentary capture of the spacecraft at a capture point located in the vicinity of the second heavenly object;
- means for facilitating execution of a maneuver at the capture point to target the stable Lagrange point utilizing a substantially negligible amount of propellant;
- means for facilitating an arrival at the stable Lagrange point;
- means for implementing a forward targeting process by varying the parameters for convergence of target variables at the capture point from the first heavenly object or the first heavenly object orbit;
- and
- means for iterating said step of implementing until sufficient convergence to obtain the momentary capture of the spacecraft at the capture point.
A system for facilitating transfer of a spacecraft from a first heavenly object or a first heavenly object orbit to a stable Lagrange point, comprising:
- means for facilitating performance of a modified weak stability boundary transfer with parameters sufficient to transfer the spacecraft from the first heavenly object or the first heavenly object orbit to a vicinity of a second heavenly object,
- means for facilitating momentary capture of the spacecraft at a capture point located in the vicinity of the second heavenly object;
- means for facilitating execution of a maneuver at the capture point to target the stable Lagrange point utilizing a substantially negligible amount of propellant;
- means for facilitating an arrival at the stable Lagrange point;
- wherein said maneuver comprises reducing a norm of a velocity vector at said capture point.
A computer program product for transferring a spacecraft or object from a first heavenly object or a first heavenly object orbit to a substantially stable Lagrange point comprising:
- a memory medium;
- a computer program stored on said medium, said program containing instructions comprising:
- performing a modified weak stability boundary transfer with parameters sufficient to transfer the spacecraft or object from the first heavenly object or the first heavenly object orbit to a vicinity of a second heavenly object or second heavenly object orbit using a forward algorithm, allowing substantial capture of the spacecraft or the object at a capture point located in the vicinity of the second heavenly object or the second heavenly object orbit;
- executing at least a negligible maneuver at the capture point to target the substantially stable Lagrange point utilizing at least a negligible amount of propellant, to facilitate arrival at the substantially stable Lagrange point.
A computer program product for transferring a spacecraft or object from a first heavenly object or a first heavenly object orbit to a substantially stable Lagrange point comprising:
- a memory medium;
- a computer program stored on said medium, said program containing instructions comprising:
- performing a modified weak stability boundary transfer with parameters sufficient to transfer the spacecraft or object from the first heavenly object or the first heavenly object orbit to a vicinity of a second heavenly object or second heavenly object orbit, allowing substantial capture of the spacecraft or the object at a capture point located in the vicinity of the second heavenly object or the second heavenly object orbit;
- executing at least a negligible maneuver at the capture point to target the substantially stable Lagrange point utilizing at least a negligible amount of propellant, to facilitate arrival at the substantially stable Lagrange point;
- wherein said performing a modified weak stability boundary transfer comprises the steps of:
- implementing a forward targeting process by varying the parameters for convergence of target variables at the capture point from the first heavenly object or the first heavenly object orbit;
- and
- iterating said step of implementing until sufficient convergence to obtain the momentary capture of the spacecraft at the capture point.
A computer program product for transferring a spacecraft or object from a first heavenly object or a first heavenly object orbit to a substantially stable Lagrange point comprising:
- a memory medium;
- a computer program stored on said medium, said program containing instructions comprising:
- performing a modified weak stability boundary transfer with parameters sufficient to transfer the spacecraft or object from the first heavenly object or the first heavenly object orbit to a vicinity of a second heavenly object or second heavenly object orbit, allowing substantial capture of the spacecraft or the object at a capture point located in the vicinity of the second heavenly object or the second heavenly object orbit;
- executing at least a negligible maneuver at the capture point to target the substantially stable Lagrange point utilizing at least a negligible amount of propellant, to facilitate arrival at the substantially stable Lagrange point;
- wherein said maneuver comprises reducing a norm of a velocity vector at said capture point.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.