Intersecting invariant manifolds in spatial restricted three-body problems: Design and optimization of Earth-to-halo transfers in the Sun-Earth-Moon scenario

Abstract

This work deals with the design of transfers connecting LEOs with halo orbits around libration points of the Earth-Moon CRTBP using impulsive maneuvers. Exploiting the coupled circular restricted three-body problem approximation, suitable first guess trajectories are derived detecting intersections between stable manifolds related to halo orbits of EM spatial CRTBP and Earth-escaping trajectories integrated in planar Sun-Earth CRTBP. The accuracy of the intersections in configuration space and the discontinuities in terms of Δ v are controlled through the box covering structure implemented in the software GAIO. Finally first guess solutions are optimized in the bicircular four-body problem and single-impulse and two-impulse transfers are presented.