Design of low-energy transfers in cislunar space using sequences of lobe dynamics

Abstract

Dynamical structures in the circular restricted three-body problem (CR3BP) are fundamental for designing low-energy transfers, as they aid in analyzing phase space transport and designing desirable trajectories. One of these dynamical structures, lobe dynamics, can be exploited to achieve local chaotic transport around celestial bodies. This study proposes and fully validates a systematic method for designing low-energy transfers by combining multiple sequences of lobe dynamics, building upon the authors' prior preliminary framework. A graph-based framework is developed to explore possible transfer paths between departure and arrival orbits, reducing the complexity of the combinatorial optimization problem for fuel-efficient transfer design. Using this graph, low-energy transfer trajectories are constructed by connecting chaotic orbits within lobes. The resulting optimal trajectory in the Earth--Moon CR3BP is then converted into an optimal transfer in the bicircular restricted four-body problem via multiple shooting. This transfer is compared with existing optimal solutions to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.