EUROPE’S JOURNEY TO THE MOON: LUNAR MISSION ANALYSIS AT ESA

The seminar will discuss the different aspects and challenges of trajectory design and analysis of lunar missions, from classical Earth-Moon transfer to ballistic capture trajectories, highlighting the effect of different launcher and mission constraints on the design process.

The different families of lunar orbits will be discussed, showing their application in different ESA missions and studies, from Halo orbits to low and elliptical frozen orbits.

The focus will be the Argonaut program, which aims to bring robotic payload to Moon, in synergy with NASA’s Artemis missions and the Gateway.

Additionally, other applications of lunar trajectory design will be presented, showcasing the endless opportunities offered by our natural satellite.

SPEAKER:

Lorenzo Bucci holds a M.Sc. in Space Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, and a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the same institution, carried out in partnership with ESA through the NPI program.

Since 2019 he works in the Mission Analysis Section at ESOC, focusing on lunar, interplanetary and libration points missions.

He is currently the lead Mission Analyst for Argonaut and several lunar missions studies.

He also supports mission analysis for EnVision, Comet-Interceptor and supervises visiting Master’s and Ph.D. students in cooperation with several European universities.

4.11.2024