Section: New Results

Quasi-satellite orbits in the proximity of Martian moons

Participants : Lamberto Dell'Elce, Nicola Baresi [JAXA, Japan] , Josué Cardoso Dos Santos [Sao Paolo State University, Brasil] , Yasuhiro Kawakatsu [JAXA, Japan] .

The Martian Moons eXploration mission is currently under development at the Japan space agency (JAXA) and will be the first spacecraft mission to retrieve pristine samples from the surface of Phobos. In preparation for the sampling operations, MMX will collect observations of Phobos from stable retrograde relative trajectories, which are referred to as quasi-satellite orbits (QSOs). This study investigates the navigability of mid- and high-altitude QSOs in terms of relative orbit elements. After developing an analytical model for the long-term evolution of QSOs and a numerical map between mean and osculating (instantaneous) orbital elements, we use a Lyapunov control law for orbit maintenance purposes based on mean relative orbit element differences. These results were presented in [16] and they pave the way for a perspective collaboration between JAXA and McTAO.