Solid Mechanics and Vehicle Conceptual Design

Design of sun-synchronous and repeating tracking condition elliptical lunar frozen orbits

  • Zhanfeng MENG
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  • Beijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering,Beijing 100094,China
E-mail: mengzf1129@qq.com

Received date: 2023-11-30

  Revised date: 2024-02-21

  Accepted date: 2024-03-26

  Online published: 2024-05-17

Supported by

National Science and Technology Major Project

Abstract

To satisfy the relay communication requirements of the Chang’E-6 lunar far side sample and return mission, a new type of frozen lunar orbit under the Sun-synchronous repeating tracking condition and the corresponding design method are proposed. By using the von Zeipel canonical transformation method, the mean motion equations of high elliptical lunar orbits are obtained, taking into account the first and second order terms of the Earth’s three-body perturbation and the J2 terms of the Moon. Based on the mean motion equations, the frozen orbit conditions and corresponding constraint equations are established. Using the frozen condition, the conditions of the Sun-synchronous frozen orbit are further proposed, and the unique advantages of this type of orbit for the lunar far-side sample and return mission are revealed. The matching problem of the relay satellite orbit with the Chang’E-6 multi-launch windows is resolved. Based on the concept of nodal period of low Earth orbit, the concept of repeating tracking condition for lunar orbit is proposed, and the corresponding constraint equation is established. The repeated periodic resonance of the mission orbit period with tracking conditions is realized, and stable tracking conditions are maintained for a long period. The detailed design process and results of Chang’E-6 lunar high elliptical relay orbit satisfying the frozen conditions, Sun-synchronous and repeating tracking are given. The high-fidelity perturbation model is used to verify the orbit design results. The simulation results show that the relay orbit elements are frozen stable and well synchronized with the Sun, and the accuracy of the repeating tracking condition is high, satisfying the requirements of the Chang’E-6 lunar far side sample return mission.

Cite this article

Zhanfeng MENG . Design of sun-synchronous and repeating tracking condition elliptical lunar frozen orbits[J]. ACTA AERONAUTICAET ASTRONAUTICA SINICA, 2024 , 45(18) : 229926 -229926 . DOI: 10.7527/S1000-6893.2023.29926

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