Utilization of Solar Gravity Perturbation in Moon-Aided Jovian Capture

This paper presents a fuel-saving Jovian capture approach utilizing solar gravity perturbation (SGP). A scheme of utilizing SGP with prograde arrivals is proposed, enabling the combination of SGP utilization with multiple-moon-aided Jovian capture. To efficiently utilize SGP, the effects of SGP on the change in the perijove are analyzed via parametric study in the Sun–Jupiter circular restricted 3-body problem. Thereafter, the mechanism of utilizing SGP with respect to the phase angle of the perijove, the perijove radius, and the eccentricity of the capture orbit is concluded. The best condition of SGP utilization and the characteristics of the required flight time are also revealed. Finally, moon-aided capture trajectories utilizing SGP are designed in both simplified and high-fidelity dynamical models. The simulation results indicate that the proposed method can reduce the velocity increment substantially.