There is a growing interest in trajectories to support missions throughout cislunar space, specifically the region beyond GEO that also encompasses the vicinity of the Moon. The complex cislunar dynamical environment necessitates the use of a wide variety as well as unique orbits for long-term sustainable operations and potentially for surveillance. This investigation introduces resonant orbits in the Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem that offer repeating coverage and connectivity across the cislunar volume in an operationally stable dynamical environment. The properties of the proposed orbits facilitate their long-term viability, and they are validated in a higher-fidelity ephemeris model. Sample constellations of spacecraft in resonant orbits also offer a promising catalog of trajectories for some space-based applications.
Leveraging Earth–Moon Resonant Orbits for Access Throughout the Cislunar Region
J Astronaut Sci
05.08.2025
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
Circular restricted three-body problem , Cislunar trajectory design , Dynamical systems theory , Resonant orbits , Ephemeris model Engineering , Aerospace Technology and Astronautics , Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics, Space Exploration and Astronautics) , Mathematical Applications in the Physical Sciences