Catalog and Characterization of Science Orbit Configurations for an Enceladus Orbiter

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Main Authors: Boone, Spencer, Cuartialles, Joan Pau Sanchez, Lizy-Destrez, Stéphanie
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Boone, Spencer
Cuartialles, Joan Pau Sanchez
Lizy-Destrez, Stéphanie
author_facet Boone, Spencer
Cuartialles, Joan Pau Sanchez
Lizy-Destrez, Stéphanie
contents Saturn's moon Enceladus is an exciting destination for future exploration missions due to the scientifically interesting geyser region located on its South pole. In this work, we compile the different types of science orbit configurations that have been proposed in the literature and present numerical methods to compute each of them in the Saturn-Enceladus circular restricted three-body problem (CR3BP). In addition, we explore the utility of the higher period dynamical structures found in the CR3BP. Figures of merit such as the observational properties and geometries for each family of orbits are presented. By providing a consistent analysis of potential Enceladus science orbits, this work can serve as a baseline for future mission designs.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2510_12421
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Catalog and Characterization of Science Orbit Configurations for an Enceladus Orbiter
Boone, Spencer
Cuartialles, Joan Pau Sanchez
Lizy-Destrez, Stéphanie
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Dynamical Systems
Saturn's moon Enceladus is an exciting destination for future exploration missions due to the scientifically interesting geyser region located on its South pole. In this work, we compile the different types of science orbit configurations that have been proposed in the literature and present numerical methods to compute each of them in the Saturn-Enceladus circular restricted three-body problem (CR3BP). In addition, we explore the utility of the higher period dynamical structures found in the CR3BP. Figures of merit such as the observational properties and geometries for each family of orbits are presented. By providing a consistent analysis of potential Enceladus science orbits, this work can serve as a baseline for future mission designs.
title Catalog and Characterization of Science Orbit Configurations for an Enceladus Orbiter
topic Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Dynamical Systems
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.12421