从日地系统L2出发借力月球飞越近地小行星

对于停留在日地系统L2的“嫦娥2号”探测器,其后续飞行方案有多个选项,例如主动撞月或重返月球轨道、返回地球轨道或再入大气、飞往地月系统L1/L2或日地系统L1、进入深空飞越近地小行星(最终,“嫦娥2号”于2012年12月13日成功地实现了对Toutatis小行星的近距离飞越)。探讨上述的飞行方案需要对飞行轨道进行初步设计,总的速度脉冲限制在100 m/s以内并且需要考虑探测器同时受到太阳、地球、月球的引力作用。本研究设计了探测器从日地系统L2出发借力月球实现Toutatis小行星飞越的飞行方案,与直接飞越方案相比,借力月球可以进一步节省探测器的燃料消耗,其等效速度脉冲设计值为58.47 m/s。     

Multiobjective genetic optimization of Earth–Moon trajectories in the restricted four-body problem

In this paper, optimal trajectories of a spacecraft traveling from Earth to Moon using impulsive maneuvers (ΔV maneuvers) are investigated. The total flight time and the summation of impulsive maneuvers ΔV are the objective functions to be minimized. The main celestial bodies influencing the motion of the spacecraft in this journey are Sun, Earth and Moon. Therefore, a three-dimensional restricted four-body problem (R4BP) model is utilized to represent the motion of the spacecraft in the gravitational field of these celestial bodies. The total ΔV of the maneuvers is minimized by eliminating the ΔV required for capturing the spacecraft by Moon. In this regard, only a mid-course impulsive maneuver is utilized for Moon ballistic capture. To achieve such trajectories, the optimization problem is parameterized with respect to the orbital elements of the ballistic capture orbits around Moon, the arrival date and a mid-course maneuver time. The equations of motion are solved backward in time with three impulsive maneuvers up to a specified low Earth parking orbit. The results show high potential and capability of this type of parameterization in finding several Pareto-optimal trajectories. Using the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm with crowding distance sorting (NSGA-II) for the resulting multiobjective optimization problem, several trajectories are discovered. The resulting trajectories of the presented scheme permit alternative trade-off studies by designers incorporating higher level information and mission priorities.     

Properties of transit trajectory in the restricted three and four-body problem

In the restricted three-body problem if the Jacobi constant is just below the value corresponding to Lagrangian point only a little neck exists around the equilibrium point and capture trajectories are indicated as low-energy. Capture properties depend on the dynamics around these critical points and qualitative results can be obtained using linearized systems. In this paper, to study transit trajectory properties in the restricted three and four-body problem, the Earth–Moon–Sun–Satellite system is considered as example and studied using different models. In the circular restricted three-body problem (Earth–Moon–Satellite), transit, non transit and asymptotic trajectories, are easily identified by using the principal reference frame. Dynamics around Lagrangian point are then studied introducing the Moon eccentricity into the elliptical restricted three-body model. A preferential region for transit orbit is individuated and studied as a function of eigenvalue properties. To introduce the Sun effect, the bi-circular four-body model is considered and dynamics around Lagrangian points studied as a function of angular distance between Earth–Sun and Earth–Moon line. Finally, results obtained in the elliptical three-body model and bi-circular four-body model, are compared with numerical simulations using real Sun–Moon–Earth ephemeris.     

Two-segment lunar free-return trajectories design using the pseudostate theory

Accurate initial solutions for two-segment Earth-Moon free-return trajectories, with midcourse transfer opportunities for favorable lunar targeting, are developed analytically by using the pseudostate theory. A constrained flight-path angle quasi-Lambert problem is formulated to determine the lunar-orbiting phase of the free-return trajectory. Gradient and direct-shooting algorithms are used to correct the initial estimates of certain two-body parameters. Numerical simulations with a high-fidelity model are undertaken to verify the accuracy of the pseudostate solutions and to illustrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm. Perilune altitude errors for the pseudostate method are less than 10% of their corresponding values for the patched conic technique. The differences between the pseudostate and the high-fidelity solutions can be eliminated rapidly.     

基于UKF参数估计的地月自由返回轨道设计

为快速简便地设计地月自由返回轨道,提出了一种基于UKF参数估计算法的地月自由返回轨道设计方法。该算法不仅避免了传统数值方法推导相关梯度矩阵的复杂性,而且只需基于地月系统二体模型给出猜测初值,从而显著降低了自由返回轨道设计的难度,将地月自由返回轨道对应的两点边值问题的求解转化为参数估计问题,该算法可以得到高精度模型下收敛的精确解。数值仿真结果表明:该算法结构简洁,求解效率较高,所得结果精确且具有良好的鲁棒性,可以作为地月自由返回轨道设计的一个有力工具。     

A lunar cargo mission design strategy using variable low thrust

A design technique for a near optimal, Earth–Moon transfer trajectory using continuous variable low thrust is proposed. For the Earth–Moon transfer trajectory, analytical and numerical methods are combined to formulate the trajectory optimization problem. The basic concept of the proposed technique is to utilize analytically optimized solutions when the spacecraft is flying near a central body where the transfer trajectories are nearly circular shaped, and to use a numerical optimization method to match the spacecraft’s states to establish a final near optimal trajectory. The plasma thruster is considered as the main propulsion system which is currently being developed for crewed/cargo missions for interplanetary flight. The gravitational effects of the 3rd body and geopotential effects are included during the trajectory optimization process. With the proposed design technique, Earth–Moon transfer trajectory is successfully designed with the plasma thruster having a thrust direction sequence of “fixed-varied-fixed” and a thrust acceleration sequence of “constant-variable-constant”. As this strategy has the characteristics of a lesser computational load, little sensitivity to initial conditions, and obtaining solutions quickly, this method can be utilized in the initial scoping studies for mission design and analysis. Additionally, derived near optimal trajectory solution can be used as for initial trajectory solution for further detailed optimization problem. The demonstrated results will give various insights into future lunar cargo trajectories using plasma thrusters with continuous variable low thrust, establishing approximate costs as well as trajectory characteristics.     

发动机羽流作用下的实时月尘运动仿真

月尘运动是月球探测器软着陆过程中不可或缺的重要环节,针对发动机羽流作用下月尘运动真实感不强和月尘颗粒运动模型过于简单的问题,提出了一种逼真的实时月尘运动仿真方法.通过计算流体动力学(CFD, Computational Fluid Dynamics)和二次谢别德插值(Quadratic Shepard)方法,分析和计算单个月尘颗粒的运动学模型,得到一定初始条件下粒子运动的二维轨迹曲线;通过分析粒子的数量、初始位置、初始速度、生命周期等参数对粒子运动学的影响和变化规律,抽象出月尘系统的粒子集;建立基于月尘粒子集的月尘运动模型.实验结果显示:该运动模型逼真的模拟了发动机羽流作用下月尘腾起、飞溅、弥漫、消散等运动过程,视觉真实感和实时性能良好,对研究真空环境中的月尘运动及月球软着陆等相关领域具有一定的参考意义.目前该方法已应用于北航虚拟现实国家重点实验室月球软着陆仿真系统.     

环月轨道交会的载人登月任务轨道与窗口规划

针对环月轨道(Low Lunar Orbit,LLO)共面交会支持的"人货分离"载人登月任务,提出了一种任务窗口与轨道一体化规划方法。分析了基于LLO共面交会的"人货分离"载人登月任务的基本流程和工程约束;针对任务各阶段窗口与轨道求解问题,提出了以动力下降时刻为迭代初值的窗口规划策略,并建立了高精度模型下的环月轨道、双二体模型下的人员和货物运输轨道规划模型。以载人月球探测中国科学家命名的环形山为假想背景,给出仿真实例,仿真结果验证了文章所提方法的正确性,为探月工程任务提供了一种有效的窗口与轨道设计工具。     

Two-phase framework for near-optimal multi-target Lambert rendezvous

This paper proposes a two-phase framework to obtain a near-optimal solution of multi-target Lambert rendezvous problem. The objective of the problem is to determine the minimum-cost rendezvous sequence and trajectories to visit a given set of targets within a maximum mission duration. The first phase solves a series of single-target rendezvous problems for all departure-arrival object pairs to generate the elementary solutions, which provides candidate rendezvous trajectories. The second phase formulates a variant of traveling salesman problem (TSP) using the elementary solutions prepared in the first phase and determines the final rendezvous sequence and trajectories of the multi-target rendezvous problem. The validity of the proposed optimization framework is demonstrated through an asteroid exploration case study.     

月球探测器发射机会分析

发射月球探测器实际上是使探测器与月球交会的问题,由于月球位置的变化,选择不同的交会日期相应的地月转移轨道是不相同的。文章分析了月球在一个恒星月内位置变化与相应的地月转移轨道升交点赤经和近地点幅角变化的关系,在这个基础上讨论了发射机会和发射窗口问题。     

Design and analysis of a direct transfer trajectory from a near rectilinear halo orbit to a low lunar orbit

A near rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) is regarded as a potential orbit for a future deep space station that can effectively support sustainable crewed lunar exploration missions. In this paper, the L₂ southern NRHOs are selected as the research object, and a direct transfer trajectory from an NRHO to a low lunar orbit (LLO) is designed and analyzed. First, based on the circular restricted three-body problem, the characteristics of NRHOs are discussed including geometric behaviour, stability and synodic resonance. Second, optimal direct transfer trajectories are obtained by combining a local gradient optimization with a numerical continuation strategy. A reachable domain calculation model is established. Finally, simulations are carried out to verify the feasibility of the trajectory design method. The relationship between the velocity change and the reachable domain is further analysed through simulation calculations.     

月球最优软着陆两点边值问题的数值解法

借助庞特里亚金最大值原理(Pontryagin′s Maximal Principle,PMP),将月球燃耗最优软着陆问题转化为终端时间自由型两点边值问题(Two Point Boundary Value Problem,TPBVP)。采用一种基于初值猜测技术的线性摄动法求解TPBVP,得到最优软着陆轨迹。仿真结果表明,初值猜测技术得出的伴随变量初值均落在线性摄动法的收敛区间内,收敛速度快,优化精度高。最后研究了不同制动推力大小对软着陆性能的影响,结论为:增大制动发动机推力,既可缩短软着陆的时间,又能减少软着陆的燃料消耗。     

Resonant motion, ballistic escape, and their applications in astrodynamics

A special set of solutions governing the motion of a particle, subject to the gravitational attractions of the Earth, the Moon, and, eventually, the Sun, is discussed in this paper. These solutions, called resonant orbits, correspond to a special motion where the particle is in resonance with the Moon. For a restricted set of initial conditions the particle performs a resonance transition in the vicinity of the Moon. In this paper, the nature of the resonance transition is investigated under the perspective of the dynamical system theory and the energy approach. In particular, using a new definition of weak stability boundary, we show that the resonance transition mechanism is strictly related to the concept of weak capture. This is shown through a carefully computed set of Poincaré surfaces, at different energy levels, on which both the weak stability boundary and the resonant orbits are represented. It is numerically demonstrated that resonance transitioning orbits pass through the weak stability boundaries. In the second part of the paper the solar perturbation is taken into account, and the motion of the resonant orbits is studied within a four-body dynamics. We show that, for a wide class of initial conditions, the particle escapes from the Earth–Moon system and targets an heliocentric orbit. This is a free ejection called a ballistic escape. Astrodynamical applications are discussed.     

Meteoroid bombardment as a source of the lunar exosphere

The column densities of impact-produced metal atoms in the exosphere during the peaks of activity of the main meteor showers – Geminids, Quadrantids and Perseids – and during quiet periods are estimated. The Na supply rate is estimated to be 2 × 10⁴, 3 × 10³, 10⁴, and 2 × 10⁴ atoms cm⁻² s⁻¹ for sporadic meteoroids, Perseid, Geminid, and Quadrantid meteor showers, respectively. A low upper limit on Ca in the lunar exosphere is explained by the condensation of Ca into dust grains during expansion of the cooling impact-produced vapor cloud. The chemical composition of gas-phase species released to the lunar exosphere during meteoroid impacts has been estimated. Most impact-produced molecules that contain metals are destroyed by solar photons while on ballistic trajectories. Energies of Na, K, Ca, and Mg atoms produced via photolysis of the respective monoxides are estimated to be 0.4, 0.35, 0.6, and 0.45 eV, respectively. The relative content of impact-produced Na and K atoms is maximal at altitudes of about 1000–2000 km and during the main meteor showers, lunar eclipses, and passages of the Moon through the Earth’s magnetosphere.     

Earth–Moon low energy trajectory optimization in the real system

The problem of the Earth–Moon low energy trajectory optimization in the real system (the model defined by the JPL ephemeris DE405) is considered in this paper. First, this problem is investigated in the model of circular restricted three-body problem, since the fuel consumption is closely related to the Jacobi integral of the transfer trajectory, a method based on Jacobi integral is proposed and eight optimal trajectories are obtained. These optimal trajectories provide initial information (the flight time and the braking velocity impulse) to search the optimal low energy trajectories in the real system through optimization techniques. Considering the merit and drawback of particle swarm optimization and differential evolution algorithm in solving the space trajectory problem, an improved cooperative evolutionary algorithm is put forward. Result shows that the low energy trajectories in the real system are more fuel-efficient than the corresponding ones under the circular restricted three-body problem.     

给定条件下直接命中月球轨道计算方法

在给定飞行时间、着月时间、着月入射角及停泊轨道等约束条件下，建立飞月轨道数学模型；采用可变容差多面体算法及罚函数方法进行二点边值搜索，借助双二体理论近似确定迭代初始条件，得到满足要求直接命中月球的飞月轨道。     

Production of high fidelity lunar agglutinate simulant

As space faring nations consider manned and unmanned missions to the Moon, there is a growing need to develop high fidelity lunar regolith simulants that can accurately reproduce the properties and behavior of lunar regolith. Such simulants will be employed to verify the performance of equipment, mechanisms, structures and processes to be used on the lunar surface. One of the significant limitations of current terrestrial-based simulants, such as the popular mare simulant, JSC-1A, is the lack of agglutinates. This paper investigates the production of a lunar mare agglutinate simulant based on JSC-1A. A modified plasma processing technique was used to expose the JSC-1A regolith simulant to high temperatures and transform it to predominantly a glassy phase. Detailed characterization results are presented to confirm that the agglutinate simulant material produced during this investigation reasonably satisfies the primary requirements of an agglutinate simulant such as amorphous/crystalline content, particle size, morphology, vesicular structure, chemistry, and presence of nanophase elemental Fe.     

Design and analysis of an extended mission of CE-2: From lunar orbit to Sun–Earth L2 region

Chang’E-2 (CE-2) has firstly successfully achieved the exploring mission from lunar orbit to Sun–Earth L2 region. In this paper, we discuss the design problem of transfer trajectory and at the same time analyze the visible segment of Tracking, Telemetry & Control (TT&C) system for this mission. Firstly, the four-body problem of Sun–Earth–Moon and Spacecraft can be decoupled in two different three-body problems (Sun–Earth + Moon Restricted Three-Body Problems (RTBPs) and Earth–Moon ephemeris model). Then, the transfer trajectory segments in different model are computed, respectively, and patched by Poincaré sections. The full-flight trajectory including transfer trajectory from lunar orbit to Sun–Earth L2 region and target Lissajous orbit is obtained by the differential correction method. Finally, the visibility of TT&C system at the key time is analyzed. Actual execution of CE-2 extended mission shows that the trajectory design of CE-2 mission is feasible.     

月球探测器垂直软着陆4D轨道全局优化

提出一种包含动态规划法与共轭梯度法的组合优化算法,求解月球探测器垂直软着陆问题. 其以动态规划法中求得的次优控制变量作为共轭梯度法的初始控制变量,求得更为精确的最优控制变量和最优轨道. 月球垂直软着陆的轨道可以分为两段,即制动段与着陆段. 以燃料消耗量最小为性能指标,采用该组合优化算法分别对两段轨道进行了4D全局优化. 数值仿真结果表明,该组合算法优化精度较高,收敛速度快,稳定性好,可用于机载计算机实时生成垂直软着陆4D轨道,同时还可推广到其他终端时间自由型两点边值问题.