Earth to Moon L2 NRHO Transfer using a Cycler Approach in the Restricted Three Body Problem

The paper presents the design of potential transfer orbits between Earth and the lunar Gateway station planned within the ARTEMIS mission sequence. The proposed transfer trajectory uses a cycler orbit, which periodically intercepts a low Earth parking orbit a Moon target near rectilinear halo orbit that may provide several mission advantages among which a continuous sequence of transfer vehicles available for transporting goods, lunar material and astronauts. Two different types of transfers between resonant orbits and the Gateway’s orbit are considered. The first method utilizes stable and unstable manifolds of an intermediate L1 Halo orbit. The second approach consists of Lambert arcs numerically adjusted within the circular restricted three body model. Comparison is performed in terms of ∆V s and times of flight, in order to analyze the advantages of one technique with respect to the other.