THE SITNIKOV PROBLEM, LOW ENERGY TRANSFERS, AND THE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF ASTEROID MINING

Author

• Dominic Blanco

Date of Award

2022

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Mireles-James, Jason

Abstract

Asteroid mining can be profitable; however, it is currently not economically feasible. Space companies have reduced the cost of missions by using low energy transfer. Low energy transfer uses connecting orbits requiring much less energy to move a spacecraft. To demonstrate low energy transfer, I investigate the Sitnikov Problem with eccentricity of 0.2 and 0.9. The Sitnikov Problem is a form of the gravitational three-body problem with two heavy bodies orbiting in a plane while a light third body moves perpendicular to the plane. I compute the Poincaré map and find connecting orbits. I then compare past missions that used low energy transfer to similar missions which did not. In all cases, using low energy transfer lowered the cost. This shows that we should investigate the use of low energy transfer in asteroid mining missions to reduce cost.

Comments

Thesis (B.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, 2022

Recommended Citation

Blanco, Dominic, "THE SITNIKOV PROBLEM, LOW ENERGY TRANSFERS, AND THE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF ASTEROID MINING" (2022). Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present. 148.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_honors/148

Extent

138 p.

Identifier

FAUHT00188