A paper summarizes early findings from a continuing study of the dynamics of the transport and distribution of matter within the Solar system. In the study, the stable and unstable manifolds of the periodic and quasi-periodic orbits around the Lagrangian points L1 and L2 of the Sun/planet and planet/Moon subsystems are found to play an important role. (The Lagrangian points are five points, located in the orbital plane of two massive bodies, where a much less massive body can remain in equilibrium relative to the massive bodies.)

This work was done by Martin Lo and Shane Ross of Caltech for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. NPO-20377

Topics:
Engine components Engine mechanical components Engines Gravity Logistics Manifolds Measurements Mechanical Components Powertrains Sun and solar
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Low-energy interplanetary transfers using Lagrangian points

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    This article first appeared in the November, 1999 issue of NASA Tech Briefs Magazine (Vol. 23 No. 11).

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