Solar System
Interplanetary Transfer
Transfer from one planet to another. (For example, Earth to Mars, Earth to Venus, etc) Interplanetary transfer just extends the Hohmann transfer. How to solve the problem of interplanetary transfer? (!!!)
Patched-conic Approximation
Divide and conquer approach for Interplanetary transfer. Patched-conic approximation breaks the interplanetary trajectory into three separate regions and considers only the gravitational attraction on the spacecraft from one body in each region. According to Sir Issac Newton, all bodies moving under the influence of gravity must follow a path that is one of the four conic sections. Thus, the individual pieces of the spacecrafts trajectory are conic sections.
Patched-conic Approximation
By solving one two-body problem at a time, we patch one conic trajectory onto another, arriving at whats called the patched-conic approximation.
Three parts of interplanetary mission by patchedconic approximation: - Departure phase - Cruise phase - Arrival phase
Patched-conic Approximation
Patched-conic Approximation
Trajectories within the sphere of influence are two body problems with the planet as the primary attracting body, and trajectories outside the sphere of influence are two body problems with the Sun as the primary attracting body.
Patched-conic Approximation
To simplify the complex interactions between a spacecraft and the spheres of influence for the Earth, Sun, and target planet, we use the patchedconic approximation. By separately considering the regions, we set up three distinct two-body problems, solve each one, and then patch them together to get a final solution. The ultimate goal here is to determine the total velocity change, Dvtotal, a spacecraft needs to leave Earth orbit and get into orbit around another planet.