Heteroclinic Orbits, Ballistic Capture and Optimal Control in Mission Design

Professor Jerrold Marsden, Caltech, Control and Dynamical Systems

We begin by developing parts of the homoclinic and heteroclinic structure in the planar circular restricted three body problem. In this framework we will discuss a number of issues, such as resonance transition of comets, the Genesis trajectory, ballistic capture of a spacecraft by the moon, and optimal control. (Based on work with Wang-Sang Koon, Martin Lo and Shane Ross).