Trajectories and Orbital Maneuvers for the First Libration-Point Satellite
Citations Over TimeTop 14% of 1980 papers
Abstract
On August 12,1978, a scientific spacecraft called International Sun-Earth Explorer-3 (ISEE-3) was launched towards the interior sun-Earth libration point, LI. The spacecraft was placed into a around the LI point on November 20, 1978, thus becoming the first libration-point satellite. During its 100-day transfer trajectory, ISEE-3 lingered in a region where the gravitational effects of the sun and the Earth are comparable, leading to some interesting tradeoffs concerning the maneuver strategy for halo-orbit insertion. Following orbit insertion, stationkeeping maneuvers were required to maintain the delicate equilibrium in the halo orbit. Details are presented for all of the A V maneuvers that were executed prior to the completion of the first halo orbit on May 14, 1979. Orbit selection, trajectory design, and the scientific objectives of the ISEE-3 mission are also discussed.