Abstract: A fuel efficient technique for changing the inclination, with respect to the Earth's equator, for a satellite includes first maneuvering the satellite to the moon on a BCT (Ballistic Capture Transfer). At the moon, the satellite is in the so-called fuzzy boundary or weak stability boundary. A negligibly small maneuver can then bring it back to the Earth on a reverse BCT to the desired Earth inclination. Another maneuver puts it into the new ellipse at the earth. In the case of satellites launched from Vandenberg AFB into LEO in a circular orbit of an altitude of 700 km with an inclination of 34°, approximately 6 km/s is required to change the inclination to 90°. The previous flight time associated with this method was approximately 170 days. A modification of this method also achieves a significant savings and unexpected benefits in energy as measured by Delta-V, where the flight time is also substantially reduced to 88 or even 6 days. Various alternative embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A fuel efficient technique for changing the inclination, with respect to the Earth's equator, for a satellite includes first maneuvering the satellite to the moon on a BCT (Ballistic Capture Transfer). At the moon, the satellite is in the so-called fuzzy boundary or weak stability boundary. A negligibly small maneuver can then bring it back to the Earth on a reverse BCT to the desired Earth inclination. Another maneuver puts it into the new ellipse at the earth. In the case of satellites launched from Vandenberg AFB into LEO in a circular orbit of an altitude of 700 km with an inclination of 34°, approximately 6 km/s is required to change the inclination to 90°. The previous flight time associated with this method was approximately 170 days. A modification of this method also achieves a significant savings and unexpected benefits in energy as measured by Delta-V, where the flight time is also substantially reduced to 88 or even 6 days.

Abstract: A fuel efficient technique for changing the inclination, with respect to the Earth's equator, for a satellite includes first maneuvering the satellite to the moon on a BCT (Ballistic Capture Transfer). At the moon, the satellite is in the so-called fuzzy boundary or weak stability boundary. A negligibly small maneuver can then bring it back to the Earth on a reverse BCT to the desired Earth inclination. Another maneuver puts it into the new ellipse at the earth. In the case of satellites launched from Vandenberg AFB into LEO in a circular orbit of an altitude of 700 km with an inclination of 34°, approximately 6 km/s is required to change the inclination to 90°. The previous flight time associated with this method was approximately 170 days. A modification of this method also achieves a significant savings and unexpected benefits in energy as measured by Delta-V, where the flight time is also substantially reduced to 88 or even 6 days.

Abstract: A fuel efficient technique for changing the inclination, with respect to the Earth's equator, for a satellite includes first maneuvering the satellite to the moon on a BCT (Ballistic Capture Transfer). At the moon, the satellite is in the so-called fuzzy boundary or weak stability boundary. A negligibly small maneuver can then bring it back to the Earth on a reverse BCT to the desired Earth inclination. Another maneuver puts it into the new ellipse at the earth. In the case of satellites launched from Vandenberg AFB into LEO in a circular orbit of an altitude of 700 km with an inclination of 34°, approximately 6 km/s is required to change the inclination to 90°. The previous flight time associated with this method was approximately 170 days. A modification of this method also achieves a significant savings and unexpected benefits in energy as measured by Delta-V, where the flight time is also substantially reduced to 88 or even 6 days.

Abstract: A fuel efficient technique for changing the inclination, with respect to the Earth's equator, for a satellite includes first maneuvering the satellite to the moon on a BCT (Ballistic Capture Transfer). At the moon, the satellite is in the so-called fuzzy boundary or weak stability age boundary. A negligibly small maneuver can then bring it back to the Earth on a reverse BCT to the desired Earth inclination. Another maneuver puts it into the new ellipse at the earth. In the case of satellites launched from Vandenberg AFB into LEO in a circular orbit of an altitude of 700 km with an inclination of 34°, approximately 6 km/s is required to change the inclination to 90°. The previous flight time associated with this method was approximately 170 days. A modification of this method also achieves a significant savings and unexpected benefits in energy as measured by Delta-V, where the flight time is also substantially reduced to 88 or even 6 days.

Abstract: A method generates an operational ballistic capture transfer for an object emanating substantially at earth or earth orbit to arrive at the moon or moon orbit using a computer implemented process. The method includes the steps of entering parameters including velocity magnitude VE, flight path angle &ggr;E, and implementing a forward targeting process by varying the velocity magnitude VE, and the flight path angle &ggr;E for convergence of target variables at the moon. The target variables include radial distance, rM, and inclination iM. The method also includes the step of iterating the forward targeting process until sufficient convergence to obtain the operational ballistic capture transfer from the earth or the earth orbit to the moon or the moon orbit.

Abstract: A technique for transferring an object such as a spacecraft to one of the stable Lagrange points, for instance L4 or L5, utilizes a substantially negligible amount of delta-V. In doing so, payload amounts may be increased. Initially, a modified weak stability boundary transfer with parameters sufficient to transfer the spacecraft from a first heavenly object or a first heavenly object orbit to a vicinity of a second heavenly object is performed. Then, the spacecraft is momentarily captured at a capture point located in the vicinity of the second heavenly object. Upon capture, a maneuver is executed at the capture point to target the stable Lagrange point utilizing a substantially negligible amount of propellant. Finally, the spacecraft arrives at the stable Lagrange point.

Abstract: When a satellite is orbiting the earth in an elliptic orbit, it has a certain inclination with respect to the earth's equator. The usual way to change the inclination is perform a maneuver by firing the rocket engines at the periapsis of the ellipse. This then forces the satellite into the desired inclination. There is a substantially more fuel efficient way to change the inclination. This is done by an indirect route by first doing a maneuver to bring the satellite to the moon on a BCT (Ballistic Capture Transfer). At the moon, the satellite is in the so called fuzzy boundary or weak stability boundary. A negligibly small maneuver can then bring it back to the earth on a reverse BCT to the desired earth inclination. Another maneuver puts it into the new ellipse at the earth. In the case of satellites launched from Vandenberg AFB into LEO in a circular orbit of an altitude of 700 km with an inclination of 34°, approximately 6 km/s is required to change the inclination to 90°.

Abstract: When a satellite is orbiting the earth in an elliptic orbit, it has a certain inclination with respect to the earth's equator. The usual way to change the inclination is perform a maneuver by firing the rocket engines at the periapsis of the ellipse. This then forces the satellite into the desired inclination. There is a substantially more fuel efficient way to change the inclination. This is done by an indirect route by first doing a maneuver to bring the satellite to the moon on a BCT (Ballistic Capture Transfer). At the moon, the satellite is in the so called fuzzy boundary or weak stability boundary. A negligibly small maneuver can then bring it back to the earth on a reverse BCT to the desired earth inclination. Another maneuver puts it into the new ellipse at the earth. In the case of satellites launched from Vandenberg AFB into LEO in a circular orbit of an altitude of 700 km with an inclination of 340, approximately 6 km/s is required to change the inclination to 900.

Abstract: A method generates an operational ballistic capture transfer for an object emanating substantially at earth or earth orbit to arrive at the moon or moon orbit using a computer implemented process. The method includes the steps of entering parameters including velocity magnitude VE, flight path angle &ggr;E, and implementing a forward targeting process by varying the velocity magnitude VE, and the flight path angle &ggr;E for convergence of target variables at the moon. The target variables include radial distance, rM, and inclination iM. The method also includes the step of iterating the forward targeting process until sufficient convergence to obtain the operational ballistic capture transfer from the earth or the earth orbit to the moon or the moon orbit.

Abstract: When a satellite is orbiting the earth in an elliptic orbit, it has a certain inclination with respect to the earth's equator. The usual way to change the inclination is perform a maneuver by firing the rocket engines at the periapsis of the ellipse. This then forces the satellite into the desired inclination. There is a substantially more fuel efficient way to change the inclination. This is done by an indirect route by first doing a maneuver to bring the satellite to the moon on a BCT (Ballistic Capture Transfer). At the moon, the satellite is in the so called fuzzy boundary or weak stability boundary. A negligibly small maneuver can then bring it back to the earth on a reverse BCT to the desired earth inclination. Another maneuver puts it into the new ellipse at the earth. In the case of satellites launched from Vandenberg AFB into LEO in a circular orbit of an altitude of 700 km with an inclination of 34.degree., approximately 6 km/s is required to change the inclination to 90.degree..