Analysis of the Circular Restricted N-Body Problem (CRNBP) in the Sun-Venus System
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
1-6-2025
Abstract
Third-body dynamical approximations such as the Circular Restricted 3-Body Problem (CR3BP) have become ubiquitous in orbital mechanics in determining useful trajectories in systems with two massive bodies and a spacecraft. These models provide a better estimation of real-world trajectories than the simple 2-Body Problem (2BP), but the addition of a greater number of massive celestial bodies to gain insights into the effect of additional gravitational perturbations would enable the design of more accurate trajectories without reliance on a higher-fidelity ephemerides n-body model. As this extension to the CR3BP, the Circular Restricted N-body Problem (CRNBP) was first presented in 2022 by Negri and Prado [1]. Using that CRNBP model, initial conditions from the Sun-Venus CR3BP are propagated numerically in CRNBP for multiple orbit types to include the gravitational effects of Mercury and Earth. The resulting trajectories are compared between the two models, demonstrating that significant perturbing effects and a reliance on the initial phase angles of the tertiary and quaternary bodies exist. Some trajectories and initial phase angle cases are identified to be less perturbed over the time period of propagation, which may aid in the selection of more stable trajectories or the selection of an initial epoch at which to enter certain orbits. This analysis demonstrates the main benefit of the CRNBP model. Additionally, the application of Poincaré mapping to this problem and the challenges with this approach are examined.
Source Publication
AIAA SCITECH 2025 Forum
Recommended Citation
Gilliam, A. J., & Bettinger, R. A. (2025, January 6). Analysis of the Circular Restricted N-Body Problem (CRNBP) in the Sun-Venus System. AIAA SCITECH 2025 Forum. AIAA SCITECH 2025 Forum, Orlando, FL. https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2025-0114
Comments
Conference Session: International Student Conference - Masters Category
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