On the Transfer and Control of Space Probes Around the L1 Point of the Sun-Earth+Moon System

The motion around the collinear libration points in the restricted three body problem is unstable. But there exist conditionally stable periodic orbits around these points. Special-purpose space probes located in the vicinity of these points (e.g., ISEE-3, SOHO) can benefit from this dynamical property, in regard to maintaining the orbit in position and the energy required of placing the probe in position. As an example, we study in this paper the launch and orbital control of a space probe around the L1 libration point in the system consisting of the Sun and the Earth-Moon. We present some theoretical and numerical simulations’ results, which may serve as a basis for the realization of such a space probe in future.