Transfers from the Earth to L2 Halo orbits in the Earth-Moon bicircular problem

Abstract

This paper deals with direct transfers from the Earth to Halo orbits related to the translunar point. The gravitational influence of the Sun as a fourth body is taken under consideration by means of the Bicircular Problem (BCP), which is a periodic time dependent perturbation of the Restricted Three Body Problem (RTBP) that includes the direct effect of the Sun on the spacecraft. In this model, the Halo family is quasi-periodic. Here we show how the effect of the Sun bends the stable manifolds of the quasi-periodic Halo orbits in a way that allows for direct transfers.