Studying the Close-Approach Maneuver Combined with Low Thrust

Abstract

The study of orbital maneuvers with minimum fuel consumption in space missions are of great interest in Celestial Mechanics. Therefore, the objective of this work is to study a combination of gravity-assisted maneuver combined with the application of continuous low-thrust propulsion to a spacecraft. In the pure gravity maneuver the spacecraft passes close to the celestial body and uses the gravity of this body to change its trajectory. The focus of the present research is to verify the effects of applying a low thrust in different segments of the orbital transfer: before, during and after the close encounter. Several situations will be made combining these three possibilities. The motion of the spacecraft is considered in the three-dimensional space and the system of primaries will be assumed to be in elliptical orbits.