Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Chaotic trajectories are often overlooked in the study of cislunar motion due to their ergodic behaviour. However, their long-term evolution is restricted by dynamical barriers. These riers correspond to quasi-periodic trajectories that partition neighbourhoods of the cislunar environment. We rapidly compute invariant curves associated with these quasi-periodic trajectories using semi-analytical approximations of a planar circular restricted three-body problem (PCR3BP) periapsis map, yielding interior and exterior region Keplerian maps. For a range of energies corresponding to the opening of the $$L_1$$ L 1 and $$L_2$$ L 2 gateways, we identify barriers that prevent transport from the exterior region to the near-Earth regime. For lower energies, we also find barriers inhibiting transport from beyond cislunar space into the Earth–Moon system. These barriers are validated with numerical integration in the Earth-Moon PCR3BP.
Institutions: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Minnesota
Language: English
Subfield: Aerospace Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,190
Funder: Air Force Research Laboratory
OpenAlex ID: W7170142926