Some options for lunar exploration utilizing the Earth-Moon L2 libration point

David W. Dunham, Robert Farquhar, Natan Eismont, Eugene Chumachenko, Sergey Aksenov, Yulia Fedorenko, Yulia Nikolaeva, Ekaterina Efremova, Pavel Krasnopolski, Roberto Furfaro, John Kidd

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Moon is a logical next step for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit. The lunar far side remains unexplored by landed spacecraft. From Earth-Moon L2 libration-point orbits, astronauts could operate robotic spacecraft on the lunar farside. Such orbits can also be used as transportation nodes for reaching more distant destinations. We investigate low deltaV trajectories that simply loop around L2, spending nearly two weeks over the lunar back side. Also investigated are the occultation times for Earth ground stations for Lissajous orbits of different sizes, and the deltaV costs to reach and return from such orbits.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAdvances In The Astronautical Sciences
EditorsDonald L. Mackison, Ossama Abdelkhalik, Roby S. Wilson, Renato Zanetti
PublisherUnivelt Inc.
Pages3621-3637
Number of pages17
ISBN (Electronic)9780877036111
StatePublished - 2014
Externally publishedYes
Event24th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting, 2014 - Mexico, United States
Duration: Jan 26 2014Jan 30 2014

Publication series

NameAdvances in the Astronautical Sciences
Volume152
ISSN (Print)0065-3438

Other

Other24th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting, 2014
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityMexico
Period1/26/141/30/14

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Space and Planetary Science

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