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Displaced non-Keplerian orbits using impulsive thrust

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Abstract

This paper investigates new families of displaced, highly non-Keplerian orbits in the two-body problem and artificial equilibria in the circular restricted three-body problem. The families of orbits presented extend prior work by using periodic impulses to generate displaced orbits rather than continuous thrust. The new displaced orbits comprise a sequence of individual Keplerian arcs whose intersection is continuous in position, with discontinuities in velocity removed using impulses. For frequent impulses the new families of orbits approximate continuous thrust non-Keplerian orbits found in previous studies. To generate approximations to artificial equilibria in the circular restricted three-body problem, periodic impulses are used to generate a sequence of connected three-body arcs which begin and terminate at a fixed position in the rotating frame of reference. Again, these families of orbits reduce to the families of artificial equilibria found using continuous thrust.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Space Concepts Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G1 1XJ, UK

    Colin R. McInnes

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  1. Colin R. McInnes
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Correspondence to Colin R. McInnes.

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McInnes, C.R. Displaced non-Keplerian orbits using impulsive thrust. Celest Mech Dyn Astr 110, 199–215 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10569-011-9351-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10569-011-9351-5

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