EXPLORATION OF CHAOTIC ORBITS IN THE NEPTUNE-TRITON SYSTEM FOR ENHANCED SPACECRAFT CAPTURE

Abstract

This work examines chaotic regions of orbits in the Neptune/Triton system to affect Δv savings during spacecraft capture around Triton. The Neptune/Triton system is represented with an n-body model in a Neptunian Equatorial reference frame. The model includes the Sun, Neptune, Triton, and the J2 perturbation of Neptune and Triton. A matrix of Initial Conditions is analyzed to discover regions of chaotic motion using Perturbation Maps and orbital deviation methods. Once chaotic regions are located, a technique of evaluating the orbits of spacecraft by integrating time backward to an escape, then using the end state vector of the reverse time integration as initial conditions of forward integration of time to capture are run. This study shows where chaotic regions can be used to affect the capture of a satellite around Triton with less than zero two-body energy with respect to Triton, and hence less Δv than a traditional capture technique. Examples of the potential chaotic regions and the reverse and forward time integration capture trajectories are shown.